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KOREA, 


AND  HER  RELATIONS  TO  CHINA,  JAPAN  AND 
THE  UNITED  STATES. 


BY 


EVERETT  FRAZAR. 


KOREA, 


AND  HER  RELATIONS  TO  CHINA,  JAPAN  AND 
THE  UNT  IED  STATES. 

I 

A PAPER 

READ  BEFORE  THE  NEW  ENGLAND  SOCIETY, 

OF  ORANGE,  NEW  JERSEY, 

IN  MUSIC  HALL , 

November  15th,  1883, 


EVERETT 


FRAZAR. 


ORANGE,  N.  J.: 

Chronicle  Book  and  Job  Printing  Office, 
1884. 


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117  118  119  '20  121  122  123  124  iv. 

127  I2P 

Map  of  Korea,  showing  portions  of  China  and  Japan. 


Copyrighted  1884,  by  Everett  Frazar. 


KOREA. 

Preliminary  Remarks. 


The  New  England  Society,  at  its  monthly  meeting  in  June, 
1882,  passed  a unanimous  vote  to  the  effect,  that  “ the  His- 
torical and  Geographical  Section  be  invited  to  favor  the 
Society  with  either  a discourse  or  paper  upon  some  new  and 
interesting  topic.” 

In  response  to  this  request,  and  at  the  personal  solicitation 
of  many  of  its  members,  supplemented  by  a dire<5t  vote  passed 
by  the  Society  at  its  meeting  in  October,  1883,  I have  had  the 
subjeft  under  contemplation  for  the  past  eighteen  months. 
Civilization  has  made  such  rapid  strides  during  recent  years, 
and  steam  and  electricity  have  brought  us  into  such  close  and 
rapid  communication  with  all  parts  of  the  known  world,  that 
one  really  has  to  sit  down  and  ponder  thoughtfully  before 
deciding  in  what  direction  to  turn  successfully  for  a subject 
which  has  not  already  been  worn  threadbare  ; or,  at  least, 
been  traveled  over  and  illustrated  for  the  first,  second  or  third 
time. 

To  my  mind  Korea  seemed  to  be  the  only  country  under 
the  sun  not  yet  opened  up,  and  understood  by  the  people 
of  the  United  States,  and  Europe — in  reality  the  “ Ultima 
Thule  ” — and  in  that  direction  I accordingly  concluded  to  seek 
my  groundwork  for  the  present  discourse;  naturally  taking  a 
a stronger  personal  interest  in  this  special  subject,  from  a 
long  residence  in  the  far  East,  and  travels  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  this  hitherto  forbidden  land.  Even  before  the 
recent  interchanges  of  treaty  and  comity  between  Korea  and 


4 


KOREA. 


the  United  States,  through  our  American  Commodore  R.  W. 
Schufeldt,  I had  undertaken  the  preliminaries  ; but  owing  to 
constant  interruptions  and  engagements,  and,  at  last,  in  con- 
sequence of  a rather  sudden  determination  to  revisit  China 
and  Japan,  after  ten  years  absence,  I have  been  compelled  to 
put  off  this  anticipated  pleasure  until  the  present  time. 

I have  endeavored  to  collect  such  information  as  I consider 
trustworthy,  so  far  as  it  can  be  obtained  at  this  early  period, 
paying  special  attention  to  all  such  matters  as  have  com- 
directly  under  my  own  personal  experience. 

It  was  my  good  fortune  and  pleasure,  during  my  recent  trip, 
to  have  as  fellow  passenger  on  board  the  Pacific  Mail  Steam- 
ship “ City  of  Peking,”  from  San  Francisco  to  Yokohama, 
Gen.  Lucius  H.  Foote,  the  recently  accredited  Minister 
Plenipotentiary  to  Korea,  and  a more  pleasant  and  intelligent 
compagnon  de  voyage  I have  rarely  met.  To  those  not 
familiar  with  the  record  of  this  gentleman,  I would  explain 
that  Gen.  Foote,  during  our  late  civil  war,  was  attached  to 
the  staff  of  Governor  Booth,  of  the  State  of  California.  Sub- 
sequently he  was  for  four  years  LTnited  States  Consul  at 
Valparaiso,  Chili,  and  upon  the  death  of  Gen.  Kilpatrick, 
United  States  Minister  at  Santiago,  Gen.  Foote  was  appointed 
by  the  President  as  his  successor.  This  position  he  held  for 
one  year,  when  he  was,  quite  unexpectedly,  summoned  to 
Washington,  receiving  at  the  hands  of  President  Arthur  the 
appointment  of  Minister  to  Korea. 

Naturally  between  Gen.  Foote,  his  entertaining  wife,  and 
myself  a mutually  sympathetic  and  close  acquaintance  was 
formed  during  this  twenty  days  voyage  ; the  topic  of  interest, 
above  all  others,  being  Korea.  The  Japanese  Embassy,  under 
charge  of  Minister  Suige,  were  also  fellow  passengers,  return- 
ing home  after  the  coronation  of  the  King  of  the  Hawaiian 
Islands,  between  whom,  (during  his  recent  trip  to  China  and 
Japan.)  and  the  Mikado,  a very  warm  and  lasting  friendship 
seems  to  have  been  formed.  Through  Mr.  Nagasaki,  a pri- 
vate secretary  of  the  Mikado,  acting  as  interpreter,  he  being 
also  well  informed  on  matters  pertaining  to  Korea,  I was 
thus  singularly  fortunate  in  being  able  to  discuss  my  subject 
with  those  having  an  equally  deep  and  kindred  interest. 


china’s  greatest  wonders. 


5 


From  Du  Halde,  and  from  Regis  and  Feron,  renowned 
French  missionaries,  as  well  as  from  Emil  Oppert  and  Col.  V.on 
Siebold,  I have  also  derived  much  valuable  information  per- 
taining to  this  peculiar  country  and  people. 

And  here  I may  be  pardoned  for  referring  to  the  rapid  ad- 
vance made  in  domestic  and  foreign  travel,  when  a voyage  to 
Japan  and  China,  from  New  York,  by  rail  seven  days  to  San 
Francisco,  and  by  steamer  twenty  days  to  Yokohama,  and 
eight  days  to  Shanghae,  and  return  home,  covering  a distance 
of  23,000  miles,  or  nearly  equal  to  that  around  the  world,  may 
be  made  in  three  and  one-half  months.  I include  in  that  time 
an  intermediate  voyage  from  Shanghae  to  Hong  Kong  and 
Canton  of  twelve  days  ; with  stoppages  on  shore  in  China 
and  Japan  of  from  five  to  six  weeks.  Compare  this  journey 
with  that  of  the  old  sailing-vessel  days  of  twenty-five  years 
ago,  when,  in  1858,  I made  the  voyage  to  Shanghae  from  Bos- 
ton in  184  days — nearly  twice  the  time  occupied  by  this  recent 
trip  out  and  back.  Verily,  this  world  of  ours  does  to  me,  in 
reality,  seem  far  less  imposing  in  magnitude  than  I was 
taught  to  believe  in  my  boyhood  days. 

Before  passing  on  to  our  main  subject  for  the  evening,  I 
desire  to  make  brief  mention  of  two  of  China’s  greatest  won- 
ders. On  the  left  of  the  chart,  running  down  to  the  Gulf 
of  Liau-tung,  will  be  noticed  the  Great  Wall  of  China.  This 
stupendous  work  is  undoubtedly  the  greatest  masterpiece  of 
industry,  genius  and  perseverance  which  Asia  contains.  It 
was  built  by  the  Emperor  Chin-tsin,  22  [ years  B.  C.  It  ex- 
tends fully  1,500  miles,  from  the  Yellow  Sea  to  the  most 
westerly  portion  of  the  province  of  Shansi. 

It  is  built  of  coarse  Chinese  bricks,  slate,  stone  and  earth  ; is 
twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  high,  and  about  twenty-two  feet 
broad  at  the  top;  flanked  throughout  its'  entire  length,  at 
intervals,  by  square  towers  forty-eight  feet  high,  and  fifty  feet 
wide  ; with  nfhssive  gates,  fortified  by  two  or  three  ramparts 
of  great  strength.  It  runs  over  the  tops  of  mountains  fully 
5,000  feet  high,  and  often  at  an  elevation  of  forty-five  degrees, 
down  deep  into  valleys  and  vales,  but  always  maintaining  its 
uniform  height  of  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  feet.  From 


6 


KOREA. 


four  to  five  millions  of  men  are  said  to  have  been  employed  in 
building  it  ; the  time  occupied  being  about  ten  years.  Four 
hundred  thousand  of  these  laborers  are  believed  to  have  died 
during  that  period  from  incessant  toil.  It  has  braved  the 
storms  of  more  than  two  thousand  years,  and  still  it  stands 
to-day  in  all  its  pristine  strength  and  dignity. 

During  the  fall  of  1869  I made  a trip  from  Shanghae  to 
Peking  and  the  Great  Wall,  and  have  here  to-night  a me- 
mento of  that  trip  in  the  shape  of  a piece  of  slate  rock,  which 
I took  from  one  of  the  foundation  stones  directly  under  the 
gateway  of  the  wall,  at  Nan-kaou  Pass. 

At  one  time  in  China’s  history  no  less  than  one  million  of 
soldiers  garrisoned  this  extensive  wall  of  defense  against  the 
Tartar  hordes,  which  continually  threatened  the  Chinese 
Empire.  When  one  reflects  that  the  materials  of  which  this 
Great  Wall  is  built  would,  as  Sir  John  Barrow  estimates, 
suffice  to  erect  a wall  six  feet  high  and  two  feet  broad,  which 
in  point  of  length,  would  twice  encircle  the  globe,  it  must  be 
admitted  that  it  is  one  of  the  marvels  of  the  ancient  world, 
and  we  cannot  help  appreciating  the  remark  of  the  cele- 
brated Dr.  Johnson,  who  was  so  impressed  with  the  magni- 
tude and  grandeur  of  this  great  undertaking  as  to  exclaim  : 
“ that  it  would  be  an  honor  to  any  one  to  be  able  to  say  his 
grandfather  had  seen  the  Great  Wall  of  China.” 

Another  curiosity,  being  a piece  of  one  of  the  bricks  taken 
from  the  famous  porcelain  tower  of  Nanking  in  1857.  I have 
also  brought  with  me.  This  wonderful  structure,  261  feet  in 
height,  was  completed  in  1430,  after  nineteen  years  of  incessant 
labor,  and  was  completely  destroyed  by  the  Tae-ping  rebels 
in  1856,  not  a vestige  of  it  remaining  to-day.  Its  cost  was 
nearly  three  and  a half  millions  of  dollars,  an  enormous  sum 
in  those  times. 


KOREA. 


What  may  be  considered  the  very  last  Tei'ra  Incognita 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  has,  at  last,  succumbed  to 
the  inevitable  and  irresistible  march  of  human  progress  ; and 
Korea,  in  this  late  year  of  our  Lord,  eighteen  hundred  and 
eighty-three,  has  now  for  the  first  time,  and  we  trust  for  all 
future  time,  thrown  open  her  doors  to  the  outside  world. 
Henceforth  she  has  determined  not  to  be  behind  her  larger 
and  more  powerful  neighbors,  China  and  Japan,  in  taking  a 
forward  and  honorable  position  among  the  more  civilized 
nations. 

Except  to  a few  French  missionaries,  who  had  managed  to 
find  their  way  into  the  country,  Korea  has  been  hitherto 
almost  unknown  to  the  outer  world  ; in  fact  it  has,  as  you 
know,  often  been  called  the  “ Hermit  Land.” 

Interested  motives  have  undoubtedly  influenced  Korea  in 
the  very  important  step  she  has  taken  at  this  late  day.  She 
has  been  influenced  on  the  one  hand  by  the  hostile  attitude  of 
Russia  and  Japan,  and  on  the  other  by  the  friendly  posture  of 
her  nearest  and  most  powerful  neighbor,  China ; and  the 
United  States,  with  the  good  help  of  Li-hung-chang,  has  in 
a very  quiet  and  unexpected  manner  accomplished,  in  the 
sudden  opening  up  of  this  most  obscure  country,  results  which 
other  nations  like  England,  France,  Germany  and  Russia  have 
ineffectually  striven  to  bring  about,  from  time  to  time,  for  fully 
half  a century. 

Russia,  with  her  insatiable  greed  for  further  landed  posses- 
sions, has  always  shown  an  inclination  to  absorb  the  Northern 
and  Eastern,  or  ocean  provinces,  of  Korea,  with  the  view  of 
getting  more  valuable  facilities  of  enlarged  sea  coast,  and  more 
convenient  port  accommodations  for  her  naval  and  mercantile 


8 


KOREA. 


fleets  and  Pacific  coast  trade  than  she  now  possesses  on  the 
Siberian  Pacific  coast,  or  its  annex,  the  large  island  of  Sagha- 
lien.  The  principal  ports  of  these  Russian  Possessions  are  all 
more  or  less  closed  by  ice  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year, 
being  situated  between  the  42d  and  55th  parallels  of  latitude, 
and  are  rendered  unsafe  for  navigation  by  severe  northeast 
monsoon  gales,  which  sweep  down  the  entire  length  of  this 
coast  from  October  to  April. 

A most  intelligent  English  writer  in  Hong  Kong,  in  August, 
1882,  said  : “ What  Russia,  who  is  as  zealous  on  behalf  of  the 
“ Greek  Church  as  France  is  for  the  Romish  faith,  will  do 
“ when  her  opportunity  to  negotiate  a treaty  with  Korea 
“ comes,  we  feel  curious  to  see.  The  fear  of  some  aggressive 
“ move  on  the  part  of  Russia  was  certainly  one  of  the  motives 
“ which  actuated  Li-hung-chang  when  he  so  earnestly  recom- 
“ mended  the  Korean  Government  to  abandon  their  policy  of 
“isolation.  The  great  Chinese  Viceroy  was  astute  enough  to 
“ see  that  if  western  powers  acquired  commercial  interests  in 
“ Korea,  it  would  be  less  likely  to  fall  a victim  to  Muscovite 
“ rapacity.  The  annexation  of  the  northern  provinces  of 
“ Korea  by  Russia,  or  even  the  seizure  of  Port  Lazaref  alone, 
“ would  be  a grave  danger  and  constant  menace  to  China. 
“ Hence,  the  anxiety  of  the  Chinese  to  keep  Russia  within 
“ her  own  bounds  in  Asia,  and  to  preserve  Korea  as  a buffer 
“ between  Russia  and  the  waters  of  the  Gulf  of  Pechele.” 

The  Koreans  have  certainly  for  years  felt  very  suspicious  of 
Russia  and  have  from  time  to  time  been  alarmed  by  her 
threats  and  actions,  and  in  consequence  have  sought  still 
closer  alliance  with,  and  accepted  under  less  reserve  the 
friendly  advice  and  counsel  of  their  Chinese  neighbors,  which 
by  strong  representations  have  tended  more  and  more  towards 
the  unreserved  throwing  open  of  the  country  by  treaty  to  all 
civilized  nations. 

Japan  has  for  a long  time,  notably  within  fifteen  or  twenty 
years,  carried  on  almost  an  exclusive  trade  with  Korea,  and 
she  has  never  ceased  to  urge  upon  the  Korean  authorities  the 
granting  to  Japanese  traders  special  facilities,  which  Japan 
certainly  would  not  expect  or  desire  to  see  accorded  to  her 


china’s  claims  of  suzerainty. 


9 


neighbors,  the  Chinese,  or  to  any  other  nations.  This  pres- 
sure and  persistency  on  the  part  of  the  Japanese — no  doubt 
magnified  and  made  the  most  of  by  the  Peking  Government — - 
has  caused  no  little  offence  to  Korea. 

Rather  than  give  Japan  any  partial  advantages,  and  in- 
fluenced by  the  threatening  position  of  her  very  powerful 
northern  neighbor,  Russia,  as  well  as  by  the  friendly  advice 
of  China,  Korea  very  properly  concluded,  in  1882,  that  the 
auspicious  time  had  at  last  arrived  when  it  was  to  her  own 
advantage  to  emerge  from  her  seclusion  and  open  her  gates 
to  foreign  intercourse,  as  Japan  had  already  done  but  a few 
years  before,  and  thus  at  last  to  enter  into  the  comity  of 
nations. 

I give  these  details  that  we  may  the  better  understand  the 
motives  which  have  impelled  Korea. forward  in  the  path  she 
has  so  recently  elected  to  follow. 

China  is  generally  supposed  to  have  professed  and  main- 
tained the  claims  of  suzerainty,  or  control,  over  the  kingdom 
of  Korea  for  many  centuries  past,  and  this  assumption  is 
made  manifest  in  the  late  negotiations  carried  on  with  Korea 
by  Com.  Schufeldt,  under  the  good  auspices  of  his  former 
friend,  Li-hung-chang. 

On  the  part  of  Japan,  ever  jealous  of  China’s  increasing 
influence  in  Korea,  and  annoyed  at  the  preference  given 
to  Chinese  instead  of  Japanese  aid,  this  concession  by 
Korea  to  China  has  never  been  acknowledged  ; still,  to  a 
degree  it  is  undoubtedly  accepted  by  Korea,  and  annually 
their  Embassy,  accompanied  by  a few  privileged  traders,  re- 
pairs to  the  principal  fairs  held  in  Manchuria  a portion  con- 
tinuing on  to  the  Chinese  capital,  Peking,  where  audiences 
are  held  at  the  Chinese  court.  In  the  Imperial  edict,  deal- 
ing with  the  late  Regent  of  Korea,  the  Dai-un-kun,  when  sent 
into  exile,  these  words  were  used  : “ Korea  is  a dependency 
“of  Our  Ta  Tsing  Empire,  and  has  been  subject  to  Us,  for 
“ generations.” 

This  apparent  claim  of  close  relationship  between  China 
and  Korea,  as  that  of  Liege  and  Vassal,  was  further  made 
manifest  in  the  course  of  the  gratuitous  negotiations  carried  on 


IO 


KOREA. 


by  Mr.  Emil  Oppert,  formerly  a German  merchant  and  an  ac- 
quaintance in  Shanghae,  who  made  three  different  voyages 
from  Shanghae  to  Korea  in  1864  and  1865,  with  the  awowed 
object  of  opening  up  that  country  on  his  own  account,  and 
for  the  future  benefit  of  the  world  at  large,  but  who  in  reality 
failed  most  ignominiously. 

These  incursions  could  be  explained  in  detail  from  personal 
recollections  did  time  permit.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  Mr. 
Oppert  proceeded  three  times  to  Korea  in  the  British  steamers 
“Emperor”  and  “ Rona,”  and  German  steamer  “China,”  the 
latter  taking  an  armed  force  of  twenty-five  Manilamen  and 
Chinese,  supported  by  an  American  named  Jenkins  who  spoke 
Chinese  fluently  and  led  by  a French  priest  and  interpreter 
named  Ridel.  The  real  purpose  of  these  marauding  ex- 
peditions was  that  of  surreptitiously  securing  the  supposed 
golden  coffin  of  the  last  king  of  Korea,  to  be  held  for  ransom 
by  Mr.  Oppert  in  exchange  for  his  self-made  treaty,  and  the 
advantages  expected  to  be  derived  therefrom.  These  expedi- 
tions were,  one  after  the  other,  rendered  fruitless  and  barren 
of  any  good  results.  T*he  ending  of  the  third  and  last  Oppert 
expedition  resulted  in  loss  of  life  to  one  or  two  of  the  Manila- 
men during  an  armed  attack  by  the  Korean  authorities,  who 
had  learned  of  the  affair,  and  whose  troops,  sent  in  great  haste, 
reached  the  sacred  sepulchre  just  as  the  supposed  golden 
coffin  was  almost  within  the  grasp  of  these  filibusters.  Mr. 
Oppert,  with  his  would-be  diplomatic  confreres,  barely  escaped 
with  their  lives,  fleeing  to  their  boats,  pursued  by  an  angry 
crowd  of  outraged  Koreans. 

After  returning  to  Shanghae,  Mr.  Jenkins  was  brought  before 
United  States  Consul-General  Seward  for  trial  for  participa- 
tion in  this  last  incursion,  and  narrowly  escaped  incarceration 
in  the  Consular  jail,  while  Mr.  Oppert,  on  return  home  to  Ger- 
many, is  said  to  have  been  tried  for  the  same  offence  and 
imprisoned  for  two  years.  Of  Mons.  Ridel  and  his  subsequent 
missionary  work,  we  have  no  authentic  account. 

It  was  during  one  of  these  negotiations  that  Mr.  Oppert  was 
distinctly  informed  by  a high  Korean  official  that  the  King 
positively  refused  his  consent  to  any  intercourse  being  held  in 


NUMEROUS  TITLES  GIVEN  TO  KOREA. 


I I 

regard  to  matters  pertaining  to  a treaty  without  the  previous 
acquiescence  of  his  friend,  the  Emperor  of  China. 

Still,  I have  reason  to  believe  that  this  claim  on  the  part  of 
China  and  its  nominal  acceptance  by  Korea,  like  that  professed 
towards  Annam,  is  one  of  convenience  and  policy  rather  than 
of  any  conceded  hereditary  right  ; and  in  this  case  asserted  for 
the  purpose  of  exercising  a certain  influence  and  restraint  over 
Japan,  of  which  country  China  has  ever  been  jealous,  in  con- 
sequence of  which  jealousy  Korea  was  for  many  early  cen- 
turies the  theatre  of  most  barbarous  and  devastating  wars. 

Korea  appears  early  in  Chinese  history,  the  first  notice  being 
in  the  year  1120  B.  C.  The  famous  Shang  dynasty  had  been 
overthrown,  and  the  Chow  dynasty  had  come  into  power,  led 
on  by  its  first  King,  Woo,  from  which  period  down  to  the 
present  time  the  Emperors  of  China  have  claimed  supremacy* 
over  the  country. 

Down  to  about  the  ninth  century  A.  D.,  Korea  was  called 
by  the  Chinese  Chao-sien  ; by  the  Japanese  Cho-sen  ; and  by 
the  natives  themselves  Tah-chosun,  or  Great  Korea.  From 
about  the  middle  of  the  ninth  century,  when  a change  of  gov- 
ernment occurred,  down  to  the  year  1391  A.  D.,  the  country 
was  called  Kaou-le,  or  Korea,  while  from  that  date  to  the 
present  time,  its  old  title  of  Tah-chosun  has  again  been 
adopted,  and  to-day  it  is  so  called  by  the  people  themselves, 
although  by  Occidental  nations  the  old  and  familiar  name  of 
Korea  has  always  been  maintained.  The  late  Korean  Min- 
ister, Prince  Min-Yong-lk,  always  spoke  of  the  country  as 
Tah-chosun,  and  its  people  as  Chosunese  ; and  these  terms 
are  used  in  all  official  and  diplomatic  correspondence  by  the 
government  and  people. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century,  after  a period 
of  fully  300  years,  the  Ming  dynasty  was  overthrown  by  the 
Manchus,  and  the  unsuccessful  expeditions  made  by  the 
Chinese  into  Korea  between  the  years  1627  and  1637  were, 
owing  to  the  determined  valor  and  opposition  on  the  part  of 
the  Koreans,  the  last  incursions  attempted  by  China,  and  from 
that  time  to  the  year  1882  Korea  has  practically  been  a sealed 


12 


KOREA. 


book  ; as  was  the  case  with  Japan,  when,  in  1854,  its  doors 
were  also  first  opened  to  an  .American  naval  officer,  Com- 
modore Perry. 

A brief  description  of  the  Kingdom  of  Korea  may  here  be 
of  interest.  The  total  area  is  nearly  80,000  square  miles,  or 
about  double  the  size  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  or  say 
eleven  times  as  large  as  our  own  State  of  New  Jersey.  It 
is  situated  between  the  34th  and  43d  parallels  of  latitude, 
the  extremes  corresponding  to  the  situations  of  our  own  cities 
of  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  at  the  south,  and  Boston, 
Mass.,  at  the  north,  its  longitude  being  between  1220  and  130° 
east  of  Greenwich.  The  coast  tends  obliquely  from  northwest 
to  southeast,  as  does  that  of  the  State  of  Florida,  having 
on  the  north  and  northwest  the  extensive  Chinese  and  Russian 
province  of  Manchuria,  on  the  east  the  sea  of  Japan,  on  the 
west  the  Yellow  Sea  and  Gulf  of  Pechele,  and  on  the  south 
the  Korean  Straits,  separating  it  from  the  southwest  extremity 
of  Japan.  The  coast,  although  very  bold  and  dangerous,  and 
crowded  with  islands  on  the  south  and  west,  still  has  a number 
of  fi  ne  bays  and  harbors,  where  ships  may  find  safe  anchorage. 
There  are  some  half  dozen  rivers  of  more  or  less  magnitude, 
but  of  course  far  inferior  to  the  average  of  those  of  our  own 
country. 

On  one  of  these  rivers,  the  Han-kang,  in  the  western  pro- 
vince of  Kien-kei,  is  situated  the  capital  Seoul,  (pronounced 
“ sole”  by  H.  E.  Min-Yong-Ik,  the  Korean  Ambassador)  in 
latitude  30°,  longitude  124^-T  Following  the  tortuous  wind- 
ings of  the  river,  the  distance  from  the  sea  to  the  capital  is 
fully  sixty  miles,  while  across  country  it  is  less  than  twenty- 
five  miles.  Flere  the  King  and  Queen  and  the  Imperial  court 
make  their  permanent  residence.  Seoul  itself  is  surrounded 
by  a high  thick  wall,  estimated  to  be  about  four  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, and  having  four  gateways,  corresponding  to  the 
cardinal  points  of  the  compass.  A high  range  of  mountains 
environs  the  city,  on  the  top  of  which,  following  their  contour, 
are  built  the  walls  and  fortifications.  The  streets  are  broad, 
with  many  wide  avenues,  reminding  one  of  Peking. 

The  country  around  Seoul  is  very  fertile,  with  magnificent 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  KOREA. 


13 


fields  of  cotton,  rice  and  other  grains.  Both  the  city  and 
country  people,  as  well  as  the  officials  and  soldiers,  are  found 
to  be  very  civil  and  obliging.  The  Royal  Palace  occupies  a 
site  on  the  northern  side  of  the  city,  standing  on  the  slope  of 
a beautifully  wooded  hill,  which  extends  for  some  two  miles 
to  the  north,  terminating  in  a craggy  ridge,  where  the  city 
rampart  wall  winds  over  it.  When  passing  the  palace  at  a dis- 
tance of  a half  a mile,  it  appears  as  a series  of  buildings  of  the 
Chinese  temple  type,  extending  from  the  outer  gate  in  a reg- 
ular succession  of  buildings  and  courts,  with  gates  at  intervals. 
The  public  buildings  of  the  government  and  residences  of  the 
officials  are  all  strongly  built,  many  being  quite  imposing, 
with  walls  on  both  sides  of  the  street,  as  is  seen  in  parts  of  the 
Chinese  capital.  The  King,  whose  birthday  is  celebrated  on 
the  27th  of  September,  is  a man  of  short  stature,  with  a pleas- 
ant face,  and  polished  and  dignified  manners.  He  is  said  to 
be  the  handsomest  man  in  the  kingdom. 

One  recent  writer  describes  the  Korean  country  as  “ being 
“ very  picturesque,  with  wooded  hills,  green  valleys,  clear 
“streams,  wild  flowers,  and  fresh  and  invigorating  climate; 
“ the  people  evidently  well  disposed  and  of  a kindly  turn  of 
“ mind.”  This  writer  also  goes  on  to  say:  “ It  is  certain  that, 
“ in  the  material  joys  that  can  be  given  by  English  grey  shirt- 
“ ings,  American  drills,  brandy  and  kerosene  oil,  these  people 
“ are  really  behind  the  age  ; whilst  of  joint  stock  companies  in 
“ Perak,  Arizona  or  Wall  Street,  New  York,  they  have  not 
“yet  one  single  thought.” 

I was  somewhat  surprised  to  learn  from  the  Minister  that 
the  word  “ Seoul  ” means  in  Korean,  capital  only,  and  that 
the  real  native  name  of  the  capital  city  is  I Ian- Yang.  Its 
population  is  about  300,000,  one-half  of  which  is  resident 
within  and  one-half  without  the  city  walls.  As  regards  the 
population  of  the  whole  empire,  I find  that  heretofore  the 
greatest  difficulty  has  existed  in  arriving  at  any  degree  of 
accuracy  Within  the  past  two  months,  both  from  H.  E. 
Prince  Min  personally,  and  from  Herr  Von  Mullendorff,  the 
P'oreign  Inspector  of  Customs  at  Seoul,  I learn  that  between 
twelve  and  thirteen  millions  is  a very  fair  estimate. 


H 


KOREA. 


The  three  ports  opened  by  the  American  treaty  to  foreign 
trade  are,  first  in  importance,  Chosan,  (called  by  Japanese 
Fusan,  and  so  noted  on  our  maps)  situated  on  the  southeast 
coast  in  latitude  350,  longitude  122 and  nearest  to  Japan, 
being  but  1 50  miles,  or  fifteen  hours  steaming,  from  Nagasaki. 
It  has  a fine  bay  and  is  easy  of  access.  A submarine  cable, 
said  to  have  been  ordered  in  England,  is  soon  to  connect 
Fusan  with  Japan,  by  way  of  the  Tsu-shima  Island,  and  Simon- 
osaki,  in  the  Island  Sea. 

Wen-shan,  or  Gen-san  as  it  is  also  called,  on  the  east  coast, 
in  latitude  38^,  longitude  126°,  also  has  a magnificent  harbor 
about  ten  miles  square,  in  front  of  the  town,  in  the  rear  of 
which  are  beautifully  wooded  and  extensive  mountain  ranges. 
There  are  good  prospects  for  trade  at  this  port,  it  being  sit- 
uated in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  fur  country. 

The  third  treaty  port  is  Ren-shan,  or  as  it  is  called  by  the 
natives  In-chun,  also  Chemul-po.  a little  fishing  village  sit- 
uated on  the  western  coast,  in  latitude  37^°,  longitude  124°, 
six  miles  from  the  town  of  that  name,  which  is  about  one- 
third  the  distance  on  the  way  to  Seoul. 

The  mountain  ranges  throughout  Korea  are  very  extensive, 
the  different  ranges  reaching  very  nearly  from  one  end  to  the 
other,  north  and  south,  but  none  are  higher  than  from  one  to 
two  miles.  On  the  north  and  northwest  these  mountains, 
together  with  the  large  Yah-lah  river,  form  the  dividing  line 
between  Korea,  China  and  Russia. 

The  kingdom  is  divided  into  eight  different  provinces,  three 
being  on  the  eastern  or  Japan  Sea  side,  and  five  in  the  western 
or  Yellow  Sea  portion,  whilst  two  of  them,  Pieng-an  and  Han 
Kieng,  extend  northerly,  bordering  on  the  Chinese  Manchu- 
rian province.  These  eight  provinces  have  each  a Governor, 
'with  332  sub-provincial  district  magistrates  or  mandarins. 

The  monarchy  is  a despotism,  limited  only  by  the  existence 
of  privileged  ranks  and  hereditary  nobles.  The  person  of  the 
King  is  held  in  the  highest  reverence,  and  he  is  the  object  of 
almost  divine  honors,  holding  the  powers  of  life  and  death 
over  all  his  subjects.  The  government  is  practically  adminis- 
tered by  three  of  the  King’s  principal  ministers,  the  first  being 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  KOREA. 


15 


called  the  Admirable  Councillor,  or  Prime  Minister  ; the 
second,  the  Councillor  of  the  Right  ; the  third  the  Councillor 
of  the  Left  ; these  being  assisted  by  six  judges  with  deputies 
or  substitutes. 

And  here  a few  words  about  the  religion,  manners,  customs 
and  caste  of  the  Koreans.  Their  national  religion,  if  it  can  be 
so  termed,  is  undoubtedly  like  all  their  other  official  institu- 
tions, based  upon  that  of  China  ; both  Buddhism  and  Taoism 
having  their  votaries.  In  fact  Korea  is  in  many  respects,  I 
believe,  just  China  in  miniature,  and  there  is  no  greater  rev- 
erence paid  to  Confucius  in  the  Chinese  Empire  than  in  the 
adjacent  Peninsula. 

Buddhism  was  introduced  into  Korea  about  the  year  372 
A.  D.,  and  it  remained  the  national  or  official  religion  up  to  the 
fourteenth  century,  when  the  teachings  of  Confucius  took  a 
stronghold  upon  the  people,  and  they  are  to-day  the  established 
creed  of  the  kingdom.  The  Chinese  state  gods  are  every- 
where worshipped  ; the  literati  profess  the  Confucian  Ethics, 
and  the  sacred  books  of  this  worthy  sage  have  been  officially 
translated  and  are  current  and  revered  throughout  the 
Empire. 

Many  of  the  large  pagodas,  erected  during  the  official  status 
of  Buddhism  and  built  in  the  Chinese  style,  still  exist  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  kingdom,  in  various  degrees  of  preservation 
and  of  decay.  The  worship  of  ancestors  is  here  maintained  in 
full  force,  as  in  China,  and  great  importance  is  attached  to  all 
the  details  connected  with  funerals,  mournings  and  tombs. 
The  temple  of  Confucius,  with  its  beautiful  wooded  com- 
pounds, is  seen  in  every  district. 

\\  h i 1st  in  India  the  highest  caste  is  that  of  the  priesthood 
or  Brahmins,  the  contrary  is  said  to  be  the  case  in  Korea, 
where  the  priests  seem  to  be  of  a very  low  order  and  despised, 
holding  but  slight  influence  for  good  over  the  common  people- 
The  French  Jesuits,  or  Roman  Catholics,  have  made  consid- 
erable progress  in  this,  country,  professing  to  count  their  con- 
verts from  first  to  last,  by  scores  of  thousands.  As  far  back 
as  1839  the  Jesuits  claimed  to  have  not  less  than  from  fifty  to 
seventy  thousand  devoted  followers. 


i6 


KOREA. 


As  might  be  expected,  such  conversions  as  have  been 
claimed  and  effected  by  the  Romanists  could  not  be  accom- 
plished without  bringing  down  the  ire  of  the  Imperial  author- 
ities, and  severe  persecutions  have,  from  time  to  time — 
descending  from  reign  to  reign — been  meted  out  upon  these 
unfortunate  devotees.  It  has  been  well  said,  that  “ a China- 
man gets  baptised  in  consideration  of  the  worldly  and 
material  advantages  which  he  expects  to  gain  thereby.”  The 
Korean,  on  the  contrary,  has  nothing  of  the  sort  to  expect 
but  only  persecution,  torture  and  often  death  itself.  He  be- 
comes a Christian  from  conviction  and  not  from  any  mercen- 
ary motives.  I have  personally  had  a corroboration  of  this 
very  statement,  from  the  lips  of  Protestant  missionaries  them- 
selves in  China. 

In  1864,  at  the  close  of  the  Ni  dynasty,  which  had  been 
mild  and  successful,  the  father  of  the  young  King,  (then  a 
boy  of  but  four  or  five  years)  who  had  become  more  and  more 
powerful  in  his  influence,  exercised  a complete  control  over 
the  Imperial  Council.  He  suddenly  instituted  an  unprece- 
dented reign  of  terror  and  despotism  throughout  the  land, 
throwing  into  prison  and  subsequently  beheading  nine  of  the 
leading  French  missionaries,  three  only  escaping  with  their 
lives,  and  after  great  hardships  and  risks  reaching  China. 
One  of  these  Jesuits  was  Ridel,  the  instigator,  or  at  least 
accomplice  of  Mr.  Oppert's  third  and  last  raid,  in  Korea. 

No  1 ess  than  ten  thousand  native  Christians  and  smypa- 
thisers,  men,  women  and  children,  were  said  to  have  been 
cruelly  put  to  death  by  this  barbarous  self-afting  regent 
(Dai-un-kun),  whole  villages  being  nearly  depopulated.  Fol- 
lowing this  horrible  treatment  of  these  faithful  devotees,  an 
edict  was  at  once  issued,  prohibiting  the  holding  of  the  usual 
annual  fairs  at  the  north,  as  well  as  forbidding  the  import,  or 
use  in  any  way,  of  foreign  manufactures,  capital  punishment 
being  threatened  in  case  of  infringement  of  this  stringent  edict. 

It  was  this  same  Dai-un-kun  who  ordered  the  late  massacre 
of  the  members  of  the  Japanese  legation,  for  which  Korea  is 
now  mulcted  in  the  sum  of  about  500,000  yen  ($350,000)  no 
portion  of  which  has  been  paid  to  Japan  as  yet,  as  I was  in- 


THE  DAI-UN-KUN  EXILED. 


17 

formed  in  April  last,  by  the  Imperial  Japanese  Secretary,  Mr. 
Nagasaki.  The  immediate  cause  of  this  outbreak,  on  the  23d 
of  July,  1882,  was  said  to  be  the  fact  that  the  soldiery  in  the 
castle  at  Seoul,  numbering  about  5,000  men,  had  not  been 
paid  for  several  months,  and  the  usurper,  Dai-un-kun,  affecting 
to  sympathize  with  the  soldiery,  gave  favor  and  countenance 
to  the  massacre.  The  Queen  was  thought  for  a long  time  to 
have  been  poisoned,  while  the  young  King  was  kept  in  safety 
within  the  walls  of  the  imperial  barracks. 

It  will  perhaps  be  remembered  that  at  the  close  of  the  late 
treaty  negotiations,  by  Com.  Schufeldt  with  Korea,  the 
Chinese  Commissioners,  Ma  and  Ju,  through  Admiral  Ting, 
who  accompanied  them  to  Seoul,  took  forcible  possession  of 
this  acting  regent,  by  inviting  him  on  board  the  Chinese  flag- 
ship, and  sailing  away  to  Tientsin,  from  which  port  he  was 
sent  into  the  extreme  northwestern  border  of  China  into  exile. 
This  was  probably  done  with  the  approval  or,  at  least,  with 
the  connivance  of  certain  members  of  the  imperial  council.  It 
was  a bold,  but  doubtless  thoroughly  politic  piece  of  Oriental 
strategy  on  the  part  of  China  toward  its  protege,  and  a most 
righteous  retribution  and  deserving  punishment  for  such  a 
ruling  monster  in  this  present  age.  This  action  gives  a decided 
promise  and  guarantee  of  better  management  on  the  part  of 
the  Korean  governm  mt,  which  is  to  day  ruled  by  the  boy- 
king,  spoken  of  above,  now  but  twenty-four  or  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  from  whose  enlightened  reign  great  promise  of 
future  benefits  are  justly  anticipated. 

The  old  Prince,  said  to  be  76  years  of  age,  was  furious  when 
he  discovered  the  treachery  of  his  host,  and  bitterly  denounced 
him  for  his  bad  faith,  and  had  not  order  in  Korea  been  at 
once  established,  China  might  have  brought  upon  herself  com- 
plications which  would,  no  doubt,  have  proved  most  embar- 
rassing. A well  written  proclamation  was  at  once  put  forth 
by  Commissioner  Ma,  in  justification  of  his  summary  acts  ; and 
another  by  PI.  M.,  the  young  King,  himself,  deeply  lamenting 
the  loss  of  his  aged  father,  and  imploring  the  Emperor  of 
China  to  send  him  back.  Both  these  are  very  interesting 
reading,  but  I have  not  the  time  to  give  them  in  full.  Suffice 


i8 


•KOREA. 


is  to  say  that  in  a third  proclamation  the  Emperor  of  China 
positively  refuses  to  release  the  Prince,  allowing  only  one 
deputy  from  the  King  of  Korea  to  visit  him  in  his  exile  once  a 
year.  Late  reports  from  China  mention  that  the  Dai-un-kun 
has  recently  died,  after  being  in  e*ile  about  one  year. 

Before  leaving  this  part  of  our  subject  and  taking  up  that 
of  caste,  I may  mention  an  incident  in  connection  with  the 
beheading  of  the  French  Jesuits  by  order  of  the  Dai-un-kun, 
in  1866,  as  a matter  of  fact,  and  as  confirming  my  belief  that 
China  seeks  only  to  make  her  claim  of  suzerainty  over 
Korea  one  of  convenience.  On  the  occasion  of  Mons.  Bel- 
lonnet,  the  French  charge  d'  affaires  in  Peking,  demanding 
satisfaction  from,  or  through,  the  Chinese  authorities  for  the 
murder  of  these  nine  missionaries  in  Korea,  he  was  politely 
but  firmly  referred  by  Prince  Kung  directly  to  the  King  of 
Korea  ; the  Prince  not  only  professing  entire  ignorance  of 
the  affair,  but  declining  all  responsibility  on  behalf  of  the 
Chinese  Government.  Accordingly,  in  the  fall  of  1866,  the 
French  Admiral  Roze,  with  six  or  eight  men-of-war,  attempt- 
ed to  seek  satisfaction  direct  from  Korea,  endeavoring  to 
reach  the  capital  Seoul,  but  retiring  to  Chefoo  most  unexpect- 
edly. The  expedition  proved  a complete  failure,  and  unfor- 
tunately the  Dai-un-kun  and  his  council  were  thereby  still 
further  confirmed  in  their  arrogance  and  false  estimate  of 
their  strength. 

The  existence  of  caste  among  the  Koreans  is  most  marked, 
the  division  being  far  stronger  than  in  China,  Japan,  or 
even  India  ; and  while  there  caste  arises  chiefly  from  re- 
ligious actions,  in  Korea  it  seems  to  take  on  a character  very 
largely  local  or  political. 

The  civil  and  military  nobility  occupy  the  first  and  second 
or  foremost  ranks  after  the  King  and  royal  family,  who  stand 
far  above  even  these  classes.  Then  comes  the  third,  or  half- 
noble caste,  which  enjoys  the  right  of  filling  the  under  ofifices) 
as  those  of  secretaries,  interpreters,  & c.  The  fourth  includes 
the  civil,  or  wealthier  portion  of  the  residents  in  cities  ; and 
fifth  there  is  the  people’s  caste,  including  all  villagers,  farmers, 
shepherds,  fishermen,  &c.  The  lowest  of  all  in  the  social  scale 


DRESS  OF  THE  NATIVES. 


ig 


are  the  bondsmen  or  slaves,  corresponding  to  the  former  serfs 
in  Russia,  and  even  this  class  has  its  various  divisions.  In  cer- 
tain rare  cases,  however,  the  King  has  raised  to  the  highest 
rank  those  far  below  on  account  of  some  meritorious  action. 

The  high  priests  reside  in  the  capitals.  The  bonzes,  or 
ordinary  priests  do  not,  as  a rule,  bear  a good  reputation, 
morally,  as  do  those  in  the  neighboring  empires.  Their  dress 
is  similar  to  that  of  the  Chinese  priests,  consisting  of  long 
white  robes  of  coarse  material,  their  heads  being  completely 
shaven. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  those  who  have  lived  among  the 
Koreans  that  there  is  hope  of  more  rapid  and  successful  mis- 
sionary education  and  moral  advancement  at  this  late  day 
under  the  enlightened  influence  of  the  present  young  King 
and  his  advisers,  than  has  been  experienced  among  the  Chinese. 
Many  cases  are  on  record  of  noble  self-sacrifice  toward  the 
Jesuit  teachers,  where  even  life  and  death  were  directly  in- 
volved, which  rival  any  such  hitherto  recorded  in  the  old  his- 
tories of  Western  Nations. 

The  dress  of  the  Koreans,  although  plain,  is  as  a rule  far  in 
advance  of  that  of  both  the  Japanese  and  Chinese,  and  both 
among  the  men  and  women  is  usually  white  ; while  from  the 
highest  official  to  the  lowest  menial  the  people  are  almost 
invariably  well  clad.  This  cannot  always  be  said  of  their 
neighbors  of  China  and  Japan.  The  men  usually  wear  a short 
jacket,  reaching  below  the  hips,  with  wide  trousers  loose 
about  the  legs,  or  tied  at  the  ankles  over  the  stockings.  The 
better  classes  often  wear  long  and  flowing  robes,  like  their 
neighbors  in  China,  with  a belt  or  girdle  at  the  waist,  to  which 
is  attached  fan,  tobacco  pouch,  pipe,  &c.  And  here  I may 
mention  my  own  personal  experience  of  meeting  in  April  and 
May  last,  many  of  the  official  classes  attached  to  the  Korean 
Embassy,  then  in  Japan.  At  the  railway  stations  in  Osaca, 
Kioto  and  Tokio,  but  particularly  while  waiting  for  a train  at 
Osaca  on  the  28th  of  May,  I met  several  of  these  officials, 
two  of  whom  soon  became  very  friendly  and  communicative, 
and  through  an  English  friend  who  spoke  Japanese,  and  a 
Japanese  who  spoke  Korean,  I soon^found  that  they  were  well 


20 


KOREA. 


aware  of  General  Foote’s  mission  to  Korea,  saying  that  the 
King  would  be  very  glad  to  welcome  him  and  foreigners  gen- 
erally ; that  the  American  treaty  would  be  promptly  ratified, 
and  that  foreign  trade  would  soon  be  opened  up  with  Korea. 
My  two  friends  became  quite  friendly,  on  learning  that  I had 
been  a fellow  passenger  to  Japan  with  General  Foote,  and 
hearing  me  speak  of  him  in  suck  warm  and  approving  terms, 
they  insisted  upon  joining  me  in  my  compartment  in  the 
railway  carriage  from  Osaca  to  Hiogo,  where,  after  a pleasant 
hand-shaking  and  pressing  invitation  that  I should  visit  Seoul 
where  I could  again  meet  them,  we  parted  company. 

I was  greatly  struck  with  the  marked  contrast  in  the  cast  of 
countenance  and  the  color  of  dress  of  these  two  high  Korean  * 
officials.  One  was  distinctly  Manchurian,  or  Chinese,  just  such 
as  I had  seen  in  Peking,  and  as  far  north  as  the  great  wall  at 
Nankow.  This  man  wore  a long,  bright-blue  robe,  with  high 
waist,  fastened  close  in  the  neck  ; white  stockings  ; shoes 
more  European  in  shape,  but  not  in  color,  than  Chinese  ; with 
the  official  high  crown,  broad,  straight-brim,  bamboo  and  horse- 
hair hat.  Fie  was  of  distant,  or,  perhaps  near,  Chinese  extrac- 
tion, and  was  from  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  Empire, 
bordering  on  the  Chinese  frontiers. 

The  other  official  was  not  at  all  like  either  the  Chinese  or 
Japanese.  His  face  was  rather  of  a Mongolian,  or  Russian, 
mold.  He  was  evidently  distinctively  Korean,  being  far  above 
the  ordinary  height  of  either  the  Chinaman  or  Japanese.  Both 
wore  full  black  mustaches  and  side-whiskers,  the  latter  Korean 
having  a long,  brightTpink  dress,  with  the  same  style  of  stock- 
ings, shoes  and  hat.  Both  smoked  incessantly,  conversing  by 
fits  and  starts,  while  they  could  spare  the  time  between  the 
enjoyable  puffs  of  their  Korean  pipes,  filled  almost  every  min- 
ute with  the  native  tobacco.  Each  had  a very  good  looking 
gold  watch  of  foreign  manufacture,  the  time  corresponding 
closely  to  that  of  my  own,  which  they  insisted  upon  examin- 
ing in  comparison. 

The  Korean  children  are  usually  clothed  in  light-blue  or 
rose-colored  garments,  and  rarely  in  extremes  of  either  gaudy 
or  dark  colors.  The  native-spun  cotton  cloth,  similar  to 


DRESS  OF  TIIE  NATIVES. 


21 


the  old  Nankeens  of  China,  and  coarse  cotton  drills  are  the 
materials  chiefly  used  ; and,  owing  to  the  severe  restrictions 
imposed  by  the  late  regent,' already  referred  to,  foreign  manu- 
facturers have  had  no  chance  lor  introduction  through  China 
and  Japan.  Woollens,  now  that  the  country  is  to  be  opened 
up  to  foreigners,  will,  with  our  American  cottons,  (drills, 
sheetings  and  jeans)  which  are  regularly  shipped  to  China  to 
the  extent  of  65,000  or  70,000  bales  per  annum,  no  doubt  be 
soon  introduced  into  Korea  by  American  merchants,  and  be- 
come for  the  future  regular  staple  articles  of  import  into  that 
country,  together  with  our  petroleum,  cheap  hardware,  clocks? 
agricultural  implements,  scales,  etc.  Heretofore  cotton-wad- 
ded garments,  with  various  kinds  of  skins  and  furs,  have  taken 
the  place  of  woollens.  Silk  garments  are  only  worn  by  the 
nobles  and  high  functionaries,  being  brought  from  China,  but 
to  a very  limited  extent. 

The  country  people  wear  coarse  straw-plaited  sandals,  those 
able  to  do  so  using  shoes  or  boots  after  the  style  of  the 
Chinese,  but  rather  more  European.  The  head-dresses  of  the 
various  classes,  among  the  males,  show  some  dozen  different 
styles  ; the  hats  being  chiefly  of  bamboo — some  beautifully 
lacquered — and  of  straw,  oil-paper,  etc.  The  women,  also, 
are  very  partial  to  white,  wearing  loose  trousers  and  jackets, 
over  which  a long  robe  fastened  at  the  waist  is  donned.  The 
wives  and  daughters  of  the  nobility  and  upper  classes  wear 
silks  of  variegated  colors.  The  handsomest  women  are  said 
to  be  in  the  northwest  province  of  Puing-au-do,  about  two- 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  capital  ; while  the  best  look- 
ing and  most  stalwart  men  of  the  Empire  are  natives  of  the 
southern  province  of  Zen-ra-do.  The  features  of  both  males 
and  females  are,  as  a rule,  more  intelligent  and  prepossessing 
than  the  Chinese.  In  fa6t,  they  are  decidedly  Mongolian,  the 
natives  being  undoubtedly  of  the  Tung-usic  stock,  (coming 
from  the  Mongols,  Manchus,  Japanese  and  Chinese)  which  has 
peopled  the  whole  of  Northern  Asia.  In  physique  they  ap- 
pear stronger  and  more  robust  than  the  Chinamen,  with  well 
developed  limbs,  but  with  rather  darker  skins.  The  average 
height  of  the  adult  male  is  about  five  feet  eight  inches.  Their 


22 


KOREA. 


frank  and  genial  manners  are  very  like  those  of  the  Japanese. 
The  Koreans  are  noted  for  the  great  affection  they  have  for 
their  children,  and  filial  piety  ranks  very  high  among  this 
oriental  people.  The  men  dress  their  hair  with  the  small 
top-knot,  similar  to  the  style  formerly  universal  among  the 
Japanese  under  the  Tycoonate,  with  this  exception,  that  the 
Japanese  shaved  the  top  of  the  head  around  the  top-knot, 
while  the  Koreans  allow  the  hair  to  grow.  This  style  is  fol- 
lowed by  married  men,  the  unmarried  and  boys  parting  the 
hair  in  the  middle,  generally  with  a tail  or  cue  reaching  as  far 
as  the  waist.  The  ladies  of  the  upper  classes  are  fond  of 
forming  curls  with  fancy  pins  and  ornaments  as  fastenings, 
while  the  lower  classes  dress  the  hair  very  plainly  with  the 
exception  of  the  cue.  While  the  Japanese  and  Chinese,  both 
men  and  women,  almost  universally  have  jet  black  hair, 
among  the  Koreans  several  colors,  such  as  chestnut,  brown 
and  even  flaxen,  are  seen. 

A great  degree  of  honesty  and  faithfulness  is  said  to  exist 
among  this  people,  and  when  once  the  confidence  of  foreigners 
is  secured,  there  are  good  hopes  of  a far  more  rapid  advance- 
ment in  moral  education  and  enlightenment  than  was  ex- 
perienced with  the  Chinese  during  the  early  days  of  foreign 
intercourse.  The  social  standing  of  the  women  is  very  similar 
to  that  existing  in  China,  polygamy  prevailing  in  a similar 
degree,  the  number  of  wives  varying  according  to  the  stand- 
ing and  wealth  of  the  individual,  but  as  a rule  the  lower 
classes  can  afford  but  one  wife  at  a time,  and  only  this  class 
allow  their  wives  to  be  seen  in  the  public  streets  in  the  daytime 
— the  seclusion  of  the  women  from  the  royal  family  down,  being 
even  more  rigidly  observed  than  in  China.  To  compensate 
them  for  this  stri6l  seclusion,  we  are  informed  by  one  writer 
of  the  following  order,  which  in  Seoul  and  some  other  cities 
was  at  one  time  enafted  for  their  special  benefit:  At  nine 
o’clock  in  the  evening,  during  summer,  and  earlier  in  winter, 
the  gates  of  the  cities  are  closed  at  a given  signal,  when  all 
men  are  bound  to  leave  the  public  streets,  which  are  then 
given  up  to  the  women  for  recreation  and  promenading.  Any 
male  finding  himself  by  accident  in  the  streets  is  expected  to 


DWELLINGS  OF  THE  NATIVES. 


23 


hurry  home.  Severe  punishment  would  follow  any  molesta- 
tion of  the  promenaders.  Good  breeding  also  requires  the 
unfortunate  male  to  cover  his  face  with  his  fan,  and  he  is  not 
supposed  to  even  look  at  the  fair  promenaders  but  to  cross  to 
the  other  side  so  as  not  to  disturb  or  terrify  them. 

The  houses  of  the  bulk  of  the  people  are  quite  primitive  ; 
and  generally  one-storied,  built  of  mud  and  straw  ; while  in 
the  cities,  wood  and  brick,  with  tiled  roofs,  abound.  They 
are,  however,  inferior  to  the  Japanese  and  Chinese  dwellings, 
even  the  residences  of  the  royal  family  and  nobility  making 
but  little  pretence  to  grandeur.  In  winter  the  Korean  dwell- 
ings are  heated  by  a primitive  sort  of  subterranean  stone  fur- 
nace, built  under  the  houses  with  flues  running  under  each 
room,  the  smoke  finding  outlet  from  a chimney  about  four  feet 
high  in  the  rear  of  the  compound.  Oiled  paper  has  been 
heretofore  used  entirely  for  windows  instead  of  glass,  which  is 
now  being  imported  moderately  from  Japan  and  China.  Here, 
no  doubt  is  a cheap  and  most  useful  article  which  will  soon  be 
imported  quite  largely  from  England  and  Germany,  from 
whence  come  all  the  imports  of  window-glass  into  China  and 
Japan.  Korean  paper  is  made  chiefly  from  the  bark  of  the 
mulberry  tree,  and  is  famous  all  over  the  north  of  China  on 
account  of  its  fine  texture  and  strength.  It  is  used  for  hand- 
kerchiefs, umbrellas,  partition  wails,  and  for  various  domestic 
purposes.  Tables  and  chairs  are  not  used,  but  like  the  Jap- 
anese, the  Korean  always  sits  cross-legged.  Their  beds  are 
composed  of  ordinary  mattresses,  which  are  used  by  the  whole 
family  in  common  ; but  among  the  peasantry,  and  particular- 
ly the  large  fishing  population,  even  these  are  unknown. 
Quilts  of  raw  cotton  are  of  common  use  among  all  classes. 

1 he  natives,  as  a rule,  are  temperate  and  plain  in  their  habits, 
although  when  the  opportunity  presents  they  do  not  refuse 
foreign  liquors.  Rice,  fish,  fowl,  pork  and  vegetables,  as  with 
the  Chinese  and  Japanese,  form  their  daily  food.  Beef  is  very 
scarce,  and  sheep  were  quite  unknown  in  Korea  until  recently, 
when  the  Japanese  introduced  the  latter  into  the  Wen-shan 
district.  Buckwheat,  millet,  and  maize  or  corn,  made  into 
coarse  bread,  also  form  part  of  their  diet.  Instead  of  using 


24 


KOREA. 


chop  sticks  to  shovel  their  food  into  their  mouths,  as  do  the 
Chinese,  the  natives  use  long  spoons  and  knives,  with  forks  of 
two  prongs,  a decided  improvement  on  the  custom  of  their 
neighbors.  Very  little  tea  is  at  present  grown  or  used  in 
Korea.  The  very  finest  spring  water  exists  in  all  sections, 
and  of  this  they  drink  very  freely. 

Of  music,  the  Koreans  of  both  sexes  are  passionately  fond, 
the  intonation  of  the  voice  being  like  the  Chinese  in  falsetto. 
The  violin  and  musical  boxes  are  highly  appreciated. 

At  funerals  the  Chinese  custom  of  paid  mourners  prevails  ; 
and  those  who  cry  the  loudest  and  weep  the  freest  receive  the 
greatest  reward.  White  hats  are  worn  instead  of  black  dur- 
ing the  mourning  period.  Marriages  often  take  place  at  the 
ages  of  fourteen  and  fifteen,  although  there  is  no  special  rule 
applicable.  The  laws  of  Korea  permit  marriages  in  the  fami- 
ly, even  between  brothers  and  sisters. 

Copper  coin,  larger  than  the  Chinese,  with  square  holes  in 
the  middle,  of  about  five  hundred  and  forty  pieces  to  the  Mex- 
ican dollar  (of  value  of  three  shillings  and  eight  pence  ster- 
ling) forms  the  only  medium  of  ordinary  money  transactions. 
Gold  bars  of  about  half  the  standard  of  fineness  of  Peking 
gold,  and  silver  of  great  purity,  are  made  by  the  government, 
for  which  treasuries  and  sub -treasuries  are  placed  in  the  va- 
rious cities  and  towns  ; but  as  a rule  neither  of  these  precious 
metals  circulates  freely  in  public.  The  Koreans  greatly  prize 
the  pure  Chinese  silver  in  Sycee  form,  having  the  government 
touch  or  guarantee  stamped  on  the  same.  Each  of  these  shoes, 
or  lumps  of  Sycee,  average  in  value  about  fifty-two  taels, 
Shanghae  currency  ; or  sixty-two  dollars  gold,  each.  Gold, 
silver,  copper,  iron  and  coal  abound  in  various  parts  of  the 
kingdom  ; but  the  mining  of  gold  itself  is  strictly  prohibited. 
The  working  of  all  mines  throughout  the  kingdom  is  under 
government  control  entirely,  any  infringement  on  the  part  of 
private  individuals  being  punishable  with  death.  The  output 
of  both  silver  and  copper  is  restricted  to  the  smallest  com- 
pass ;•  and  in  consequence  the  precious  metals  are  imported 
largely  from  Japan.  This  same  national  prejudice  against  dis- 
turbing the  metallic  deposits  of  the  earth  exists  in  full  force 


SUPERSTITIONS  OF  KOREANS  AND  CHINESE. 


25 


among  the  Chinese,  with  many  of  whom  considered  as 
intelligent,  by  foreigners,  I have  often  conversed  on  this  sub- 
ject. 

It  would  I am  sure  surprise  my  friends  present  could  they 
hear  some  of  the  arguments  the  Chinese  bring  to  bear  to 
show  the  fearful  consequences  incurred  by  digging  deep  holes 
in  the  earth  to  extra6l  the  valuable  ores  which  have  lain  dor- 
ment  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  One  of  their  greatest 
fears  is  that,  by  the  digging  of  deep  pits,  apparently  into  the 
bowels  of  the  earth,  the  world’s  equilibrium  will  be  disturbed, 
and  the  equipoise  of  the  turtle,  which  holds  the  earth  on  its 
back,  will  be  seriously  endangered. 

In  the  case  of  coal,  that  indispensable  necessity  for  every- 
day life,  both  for  domestic  and  mechanical  purposes,  the 
Chinese  have  countless  millions  of  tons,  from  aftual  surveys 
by  noted  foreign  geologists,  in  various  portions  of  the  Empire, 
some  of  the  mines  cropping  out  with  good  serviceable  coal 
down  to  the  water’s  edge,  on  the  banks  of  the  Yangtze  Kiang 
river,  near  Chin  Kiang,  and  yet  the  Chinese  Mandarins  have 
refused  all  overtures  for  mining  the  same  until  very  recently, 
and  now  only  permit  it  in  a spasmodic  manner.  The  govern- 
ment itself  prefers  to  pay  large  sums  each  year  for  coal  from 
England,  Australia,  Japan  and  America,  rather  than  allow  its 
mines  to  be  worked.  But  this  is  a digression  from  my  subjefb 
which  I pray'  you  will  pardon. 

The  same  metric  system  of  weights  and  measures  existing 
in  China  is  current  here.  The  divisions  of  time  also  were, 
until  late  years,  based  upon  the  old  Chinese  calendar,  but  now 
are  reckoned  by  the  reigning  dynasty. 

Every  male  subject  capable  of  bearing  arms  is  liable  to 
military  duty.  The  armament  of  the  soldiery  is  very  primitive 
in  its  nature,  comprising  bows  and  arrows  with  common  match 
locks  and  lances.  A few  old-fashioned  breech  loaders  were 
found  by  the  Trench  during  their  raid  upon  Kang-wha. 
Torture  is  freely'  employed  in  judicial  cases,  and  decapitation 
by'  the  sword  is  the  usual  form  of  execution,  as  with  the 
Chinese. 

A most  effective  system  of  signaling  by  means  of  bon-fires 


26 


KOREA. 


at  night  from  the  tops  of  high  hills  and  mountains,  between 
the  coast  and  the  capital,  is  regularly  maintained,  whereby 
the  government  is  kept  very  fully  advised  of  the  approach  of 
any  foreign  vessel.  A postal  system  is  maintained  by  the 
government  through  the  highways  by  horses.  The  late  Min- 
ister from  Korea  has  taken  a marked  interest  in  our  own 
postal  service,  and  will  advocate  reforms  and  marked  improve- 
ments on  his  return  home.  Education  is  ostensibly  held  in 
high  estimation  in  Korea,  the  same  system  of  yearly  examina- 
tions at  the  capital,  Seoul,  for  government  positions,  being  fol- 
lowed here  as  in  Peking.  It  is  interesting  to  learn  from  late 
advices  received  from  Seoul,  that  steps  have  already  been 
taken  to  establish  schools  for  the  common  English  branches, 
and  about  one  hundred  scholars  are  receiving  daily  instruc- 
tion at  the  hands  of  several  of  the  educated  Chinese  lately  re- 
turned from  Hartford,  Conn'.,  to  Peking,  and  thence  to  Korea. 
Regular  English  or  American  teachers  are  intended  to  take 
charge  of  these  schools  later  on.  The  language  differs  de- 
cidedly from  both  the  Chinese  and  Japanese,  but  still  it  be- 
longs to  the  Turanian  family.  The  idiom  is  peculiar  to  this 
people  only,  but  in  certain  sections,  notably  in  the  northern 
portions  and  near  to  the  Chinese  frontier,  a sort  of  mixture  of 
Korean  and  Chinese  exists,  while  throughout  the  south  and 
southeast,  in  the  vicinity  of  Fusan,  the  chief  trading  port  on 
the  extreme  southeast  coast  and  nearest  to  Japan,  where  the 
Japanese,  now  numbering  from  two  thousand  five  hundred  to 
three  thousand,  have  naturally  landed  and  traded  for  many 
years  past,  a Japanese-Korean  dialed!;  has  taken  a strong  hold 
upon  the  natives. 

The  Chinese  characters  and  classics  are  taught  in  their 
schools,  and  every  Korean  who  wishes  to  rise  must  master  the 
sacred  books  ol  China.  The  native  language  is  really  greatly 
neglected,  the  upper  classes  using  Chinese  freely,  both  in  so- 
cial intercourse  and  in  literature.  Even  the  annals  of  the 
kingdom,  the  laws,  the  scientific  treaties,  and  public  instruc- 
tions, and  even  the  shop  signs,  are  mostly  written  in  Chinese. 
The  sacred  books  of  Confucius  are  held  in  great  veneration  by 
the  majority  of  the  people. 


CLIMATE. 


27 


The  alphabet,  which  has  a strong  affinity  with  the  present 
Mongolian  tongue,  consists  of  twenty-eight  letters,  of  which 
thirteen  are  single  vowels  and  diphthongs  and  fifteen  conson- 
ants, and  is  not  so  very  dissimilar  to  our  own  when  compared 
to  the  Chinese  language,  which  is  one  of  characters  only. 

Of  the  climate  we  have  very  favorable  reports  ; and  as 
the  extremes  of  temperature  are  included  between  the  paral- 
lels of  340  and  420  north  latitude,  with  the  sea  on  either  side 
of  the  peninsula,  the  summers  are  not  over-hot,  having  fresh 
cool  breezes  ; while  the  southern  or  populated  districts  be- 
tween 350  and  38°,  are  not  uncomfortably  cold  even  in  the 
extremes  of  winter.  The  spring  and  autumn  seasons  are 
simply  delightful.  The  action  of  the  northeast  Monsoon 
winds  from  October  to  April,  and  of  the  southwest  Monsoon 
winds  from  May  to  September,  has  no  doubt  a marked  effect 
upon  the  temperature,  and  the  difference  is  that  usually  shown 
between  the  Pacific  and  Atlantic  ocean  watered  countries, 
viz.:  a temperature  on  the  Pacific  warmer  in  winter  and  cooler 
in  summer  than  prevails  in  those  parts  of  the  United  States  or 
Europe  lying  in  the  same  latitude  but  bordering  on  the  Atlantic 
ocean.  This  absence  of  the  intense  summer  heat  between 
July  and  September,  experienced  by  foreign  residents  in  China 
ports,  from  Tsientsin  to  Canton,  cases  of  sunstroke  being  rare, 
makes  the  climate  resemble  that  of  Southern  Europe  ; and 
gives  ample  proof  to  the  traveler  of  its  great  advantages  over 
all  other  heretofore  accepted  summer  resorts  and  sanitariums 
in  either  China  or  Japan.  If  further  evidence  were  needed,  it 
could  be  shown  in  the  large  number  of  old  people,  and  gener- 
al ruggedness  noticeable  in  the  physique  of  the  natives,  which 
is  apparent  in  both  young  and  old  of  either  sex.  And  here  I 
may  mention,  that  when  in  Shanghae  in  May  last,  I was  told 
by  friends  there,  who  with  their  families  are  accustomed  to 
visit  Cheefoo  as  a seaside  sanitarium  during  the  excessive 
heats  of  July  and  August,  that  they  should  make  similar  trips 
to  Korea  in  preference,  as  soon  as  suitable  communication  and 
accommodations  were  provided. 

The  soil  is  naturally  very  rich,  and  with  such  a beautiful 
climate  all  kinds  of  flowers,  roots,  trees  and  vegetables  can  be 
raised  luxuriantly. 


28 


KOREA. 


Tobacco  is  grown  in  many  parts  of  the  Empire  and  is  wide- 
ly used  by  the  natives.  The  chilli  pepper,  red  and  green,  of 
large  size,  is  cultivated  to  an  enormous  extent,  and  no  Korean 
dish  is  ever  set  forth  until  it  is  copiously  dressed  with  this 
national  sauce  ; and  Korea  might  be  called  a land,  not  of  lotus 
eaters,  but  pepper  eaters. 

Very  fine  forests  of  oak,  beach,  pine,  fir,  elm,  birch,  etc.,  are 
found  ; while  in  the  central  districts  particularly  the  cork, 
mulberry  and  varnish  tree  flourish,  the  latter  furnishing  the 
beautiful,  gold-colored  varnish  so  highly  prized  for  lacquer 
and  miaco  work,  in  Japan  and  China. 

In  a country  so  hilly  and  mountainous  as  Korea,  and  so 
densely  wooded,  cover  is  given  to  various  descriptions  of  wild 
animals,  notably’  bears,  and  a small  species  of  tiger  much  in- 
ferior to  the  Indian  varieties. 

The  horses,  like  those  of  native  growth  in  Janan,  are  dimin- 
utive, very  strong,  and  at  the  same  time  most  vicious  in  their 
dispositions,  like  the  Japanese  ; and  this  I well  remember  from 
personal  experience.  As  a rule  all  the  animals  of  both  Korea 
and  Japan  are  diminutive  in  stature  when  compared  with  those 
of  our  own  country  or  Europe. 

The  raising  of  dogs  for  ordinary'  food  is  as  common  as  the 
rearing  of  sheep  with  us.  Goats  and  sheep  are  raised  only 
under  the  King's  auspices  for  sacrificial  purposes. 

Naturally  the  possession  of  such  rich  forests  will  very'  soon 
bring  about  the  establishment  of  steam  saw-mills,  by  means 
of  which  China,  particularly',  will  largely  receive  her  sup- 
plies of  lumber,  now  imported  from  Puget  Sound,  Singapore, 
the  Phillipines  and  Japan.  While  in  Shanghae  I learned 
that  a Chinese  company'  of  lumber  dealers  had  already 
sent  a trustworthy  foreigner,  Mr.  Stripling,  to  Korea,  with 
the  object  of  cutting  and  shipping  to  Shanghae,  timber  such 
as  for  centuries  past  Fuchow  has  furnished  to  the  whole  of 
China  through  its  enormous  wood  junk  trade  concentrated  in 
the  Fohkien  province,  of  which  the  sea  port  of  Fuchow  is  the 
natural  and  convenient  outlet. 

The  Koreans  have  not  as  yet  developed  any'  marked  taste 
for  horticulture,  but  under  the  example  and  influence  of  foreign 


EXPORT  OF  SILK  AND  TEA  PROMISING. 


29 


intercourse  now  about  to  be  developed  in  Korea  I look  for  a 
decided  improvement  in  this  respedl  at  no  distant  day.  In 
raw  silk,  too,  with  the  advent  of  expert  Chinese  from  the  silk 
hongs  in  Shanghae,  who  have  lately  gone  to  Korea,  and  of 
other  foreigners  having  a due  appreciation  of  its  great  value 
and  ever  increasing  demand,  and  with  the  mulberry  tree 
actually  growing  wild  and  now  comparatively  neglefted,  we 
ought  in  due  time  to  see  a valuable  and  rapidly  developing 
export  trade,  whereby  Korea  shall  be  made  to  come  forward 
and  claim  her  rights  as  a successful  competitor  with  China, 
Japan  and  Italy,  the  three  great  producing  countries  of  this 
most  valuable  and  necessary  staple.  The  silk  worms’  eggs 
also  should  in  due  time  prove  to  be  to  Korea  as  they  have  to 
Japan  for  many  years  past,  one  of  her  most  valuable  exports  to 
the  continent  of  Europe.  Of  raw  silk,  Her  Von  Muilendorff 
is  so  sanguine  as  to  predict  an  export  of  twenty  thousand 
bales  within  a few  years,  but  these  must,  I think,  be  considered 
as  extreme  figures.  The  tea  plant,  too,  can  here  be  made 
available  and  of  good  value  ; and  while  at  present  growing 
wild  and  unappreciated  by  the  Koreans,  it  would  undoubtedly 
have  the  same  advantages  as  have  existed  in  the  island  of 
Formosa,  viz.  : a rich,  virgin  soil,  developing  a tender,  pale 
and  delicate  leaf,  with  rich  cup  infusion,  qualities  so  highly 
prized  by  our  importers  and  experts  in  the  tea  trade. 

file  bamboo  tree,  which  our  friend  Dr.  S.  Wells  Williams,  in 
his  most  valuable  work  on  China,  entitled  The  Middle  King-- 
don/,  aptly  calls  the  national  plant  of  China,  (being  used  both 
for  food  and  for  hundreds  of  domestic  and  mechanical  pur- 
poses) here  grows  to  perfection  ; and  the  grape,  strawberry, 
plum,  peach,  apricot,  persimmon,  apple  and  pear  all  grow 
wild,  requiring  but  the  simplest  modes  of  care  and  cultivation 
to  ensure  greater  perfection.  With  a climate  more  mild  and 
humid  than  that  of  the  Atlantic  States,  the  fruits  are  less 
hardy  and  do  not  preserve  their  richness  as  with  us.  Of  fish 
there  are  plentiful  varieties  and  of  the  best,  descriptions. 

The  natives  with  little  or  no  exertion,  and  through  the 
bounty  of  mother  earth,  easily  secure  the  necessities  of  life, 
but  they  either  do  not  care,  or  are  without  the  knowledge 


3° 


KOREA. 


requisite,  to  bring  in  those  sources  of  income  and  revenue 
beyond  their  own  individual  wants,  which  the  government 
will  soon  require  for  its  increased  expenditures,  brought  about 
by  the  opening  of  its  doors,  followed  by  the  advent  of  Western 
nations. 

The  cotton  plant,  hemp,  flax,  indigo,  and  many  indispens- 
able domestic  cereals  such  as  rice,  wheat,  rye,  &c.,  are  raised 
plentifully.  The  Korean  cotton  is  far  superior  to  the  staple 
raised  in  China,  being  longer  and  of  a fine  silky  fibre,  similar  to 
our  own  Carolina  staple.  A variety  of  clays  from  which  ex- 
cellent pottery  is  made  are  found  in  the  southeastern  provinces. 

Ginseng,  that  wonderful  medicinal  root  so  highly  prized  by 
the  Chinese,  is  here  raised,  and  forms  a regular  article  of  ex- 
port to  Peking  and  to  Japan.  It  evidently  corresponds  to  our 
own  highly  esteemed  quinine  in  the  universality  of  its  use  and 
the  marvelous  curative  powers  ascribed  to  it. 

On  my  voyage  from  Shangae  to  San  Francisco  I met  a most 
entertaining  companion  and  former  acquaintance,  Mr.  John 
Fryer,  an  English  gentleman.  Fie  has  been  for  23  years  in 
China,  the  most  of  the  time  in  Chinese  government  employ, 
and  of  late  has  been  engaged  in  interpreting  scientific  works 
from  the  Engligh  and  German  into  Chinese. 

Mr.  Fryer  is  a thorough  Chinese  scholar,  an  Anglo-Chinese 
Mandarin  of  the  third  grade,  and  an  old  resident  of  Peking  ; 
and  taking  a warm  interest  in  my  work,  he  very  kindly  wrote 
up  the  following  little  dissertation  on  Ginseng,  which  I would 
here  like  to  present  to  you  : “ The  word  Ginseng,”  says  Mr. 

Fryer,  “ is  apparently  of  purely  Chinese  origin,  and  consists 
“ of  two  Chinese  characters  : ‘ jen,’  meaning  man,  and  ‘ shen,’ 
“ the  name  of  a kind  of  root,  of  which  there  are  many  varie- 
“ ties.  This  particular  kind  of  root,  in  its  most  valuable  form 
“is  fork-shaped,  and  hence  resembles  the  legs  of  a man,  so 
“ that  possibly  the  name  simply  means,  the  ‘ man-shaped  root.’ 
“ The  other  and  cheaper  kinds  of  shen-root,  are  designated 
“ either  from  their  physical  appearance,  or  the  locality  where 
“ they  are  produced,  e.  g.  Korean  Shen,  or  Foreign  Shen, 
“ much  of  the  latter  coming  from  Iowa. 

“ A present  of  Ginseng  is  considered  to  be  the  most  valu- 


GINSENG. 


31 


“able  that  can  be  made  to  any  one  who  is  known  to  be  in  ill 
“ health.  Notices  frequently  appear  in  the  Peking  Gazette  of 
“ presents  of  so  many  ounces,  or  rather  ‘ taels  ’ weight  of 
“.Ginseng,  being  made  by  the  Emperor  to  some  high  official, 
“ who  pleads  severe  sickness  as  a reason  for  retiring  from 
“office.  From  time  immemorial  Ginseng  has  stood  at  the 
“ head  of  all  drugs  in  the  Chinese  estimation,  coming  down 
“ from  such  high  antiquity,  its  almost  fabulous  virtues  and 
“qualities  are,  of  course,  beyond  question.  It  is  the  medicine 
“ of  medicines,  and  to  entertain  doubts  as  to  its  general  effi- 
“ cacy,  as  a panacea  for  all  ills  that  human  flesh  is  heir  to,  is 
“ to  argue  one’s  self  an  ignoramus.  The  Chinese  divide  their 
“ drugs  into  two  classes,  the  warm  and  the  cold.  A warm 
“ disease  requires  a cold  medicine,  and  vice  versa.  Ginseng 
“stands  at  the  head  of  warm  medicines,  and  is  supposed  to  be 
“capable  of  restoring  the  animal  warmth  and  keeping  up  the 
“circulation,  even  when  the  spark  of  life  is  almost  extinct. 

“The  absurd  stories  that  are  told  and  believed  in  by 
“ Chinese  literati  as  to  the  wonderful  properties  of  this  highly 
“ popular  root,  are  enough  to  provoke  a smile  from  the  most 
“ astute  foreigner.  When  residing  in  Peking,  the  native  grad- 
“ uate  who  taught  me  the  Mandarin  dialect  informed  me  with 
“ all  gravity  that  the  virtues  of  Ginseng  were  so  great  that 
“ the  plant  had  almost  the  same  powers  of  locomotion  as  if 
“ it  belonged  to  the  animal  kingdom,  it  being  able  to  trans- 
“ port  itself  from  place  to  place.  Hence,  the  best  varieties, 
“some  of  which  are  worth  more  than  their  weight  in  gold,  are 
“only  to  be  found  and  obtained  with  the  greatest  difficulty. 
“ The  plant  has  literally  to  be  hunted.  Men  go  out  by  moon- 
“ light,  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  and  shoot  it  as  it  tries 
“to  evade  them.  Further,  the  root  when  taken  has  to  be  pre- 
“ served  with  great  care,  lest  it  should  run  away.  Having  the 
“ shape  of  a man  it  can  use  its  two  legs  with  such  effect  that 
“ when  once  it  gets  started  there  is  no  catching  it.  Having 
“expressed  my  doubts  on  this  point  in  the  gentlest  manner 
“ possible,  my  Chinese  teacher  seemed  considerably  annoyed 
“ at  my  presumption,  and  proceeded  to  confirm  his  position 
“ by  illustrating  the  motion  with  his  fingers  and  narrating  a 


32 


KOREA. 


“ fa<5t  which  he  knew  to  be  authentic.  A man  in  the  country 
“ had  a root  of  Ginseng  of  the  very  choicest  description,  prized 
“ most  highly,  and  kept  wrapped  in  a paper  and  securely 
“ locked  in  a box.  One  night  in  winter  he  forgot  to  lock  the 
“box  ; the  consequence  was,  that  the  next  day  the  root  was 
“ missing.  Search  was  made  all  over  the  house,  but  in  vain. 
“ At  last  it  occurred  to  the  owner  that  as  there  had  been  a 
“heavy  fall  of  snow  during  the  night,  the  footprints  of  the 
“ thief  could  be  easily  traced.  Strange  to  say  there  were  no 
“human  footprints,  but  they  found  the  tracks  of  the  root, 
“which  were  followed  for  many  miles  on  the  snow,  but  with- 
“ out  catching  the  runaway,  because  of  the  long  start  it  had 
“ before  its  loss  was  discovered.  Verily  one  would  think  that 
“a  man  who  would  believe  this  yarn  would  swallow  almost 
“ anything,  and  yet  my  Chinese  friend  narrated  his  story  with 
“the  utmost  candor  and  dignity,  evidently  fully  believing  it 
“ to  be  stricSlly  true.  The  Korean  Ginseng  is  held  in  high 
“ repute,  especially  in  Peking.  Every  year  there  is  an  Embassy 
“ bearing  tribute  from  the  King  of  Korea,  which  arrives  at  the 
“ capital  in  the  winter  time.  Various  merchants  accompany 
“ the  tribute  of  Ginseng,  paper  and  other  goods,  which  are 
“carried  in  rudely  formed  carts  drawn  by  the  diminutive  and 
“ spirited  Korean  ponies.  There  are  special  quarters  for  their 
“accommodations  near  the  Tsein-men,  or  chief  entrance  to 
“ the  Tartar  City.  For  some  little  time  after  their  arrival  the 
“ white  dress  and  horse-hair  gauze  hats  which  distinguish  the 
“ Korean  garb,  are  to  be  seen  in  the  streets  and  suburbs,  as 
“the  Ginseng  pedlers  carry  about  their  favorite  drug  for  sale. 
“ In  the  street  where  they  trade  are  many  Chinese  Ginseng 
“shops  where  the  drug  may  be  purchased  all  the  year  round. 
“ So  numerous  are  those  shops  that  the  sign  boards  seem  to 
“ bear  scarcely  any  other  Chinese  characters,  and  the  street  is 
“sometimes  known  as  the  Ginseng  street.” 

The  following  account  ot  the  cultivation  of  Ginseng  and  the 
wild  plant  in  Korea,  is  taken  from  the  report  of  the  Commis- 
sioner of  Chinese  Customs  at  Newchwang,  one  of  the  open 
treaty  ports  in  the  north  of  China  : “ The  chief  items  which 

“ the  Koreans  bring  across  the  border  into  China  is  Ginseng, 


THE  OPENING  UP  OF  KOREA. 


33 


“and  this  is  the  most  valuable  of  all  roots  or  drugs.  Wild 
“ ginseng  is  found  among  the  hills,  and  takes  more  than  thirty 
“ years  to  arrive  at  perfection.  The  root  can  be  used  when  it 
“has  been  in  the  ground  about  twelve  years,  but  it  is  not  so 
“valuable  as  that  of  mature  age.  The  other  kinds  of  ginseng, 
“ known  as  first  and  second  quality  Korean,  are  a special 
“branch  of  culture.  Only  well-to-do  people  can  afford  to  set 
“apart  the  ground  for  its  cultivation,  and  to  devote  to  it  the 
“ time  which  it  requires.  The  usual  period  allowed  for  the 
“root  to  attain  its  full  growth  when  under  cultivation  is  from 
“ five  to  six  years.  It  is  then  dug  up,  washed  and  dried  in  a 
“ pan  over  a fire,  and  after  the  skin  has  been  scraped  away  it 
“ is  ready  for  the  market.  Once  every  year  a small  red  flower 
“ is  put  forth,  the  seed  from  which  is  carefully  preserved  and 
“ sown  the  following  year.” 

Up  to  within  a year  the  Koreans  had  defied  all  attempts 
to  open  up  foreign  trade  either  by  lorce,  through  the  aCtion 
of  the  French  Admiral  Roze  in  1866,  or  peaceably  by  the 
American  Admiral  Rogers,  and  United  States  Minister  Low, 
in  1870.  Now  that  the  gates  have  been  opened,  however,  it 
seems  to  be  generally  conceded  by  the  missionaries  and  trav- 
ellers with  whom  I have  conversed,  or  whose  works  I have 
read,  that  while  Korea  is  a country  of  but  small  area,  as  com- 
pared to  China,  and  about  one-third  the  population  of  Japan, 
the  United  States  isv  in  the  most  favorable  position  to 
secure  the  trade  of  this  country.  The  geographical  position 
of  the  two  countries,  the  quick  and  regular  communication 
offered  by  railroads  across  the  American  continent,  and  steam- 
ers to  Japan  every  twelve  or  fifteen  days  from  San  Francisco 
give  the  United  States  a great  commercial  advantage  over 
any  other  western  nation. 

About  i860,  during  the  Peiho  war  between  China,  England 
and  France,  Commodore  Schufeldt  was  in  China,  in  command 
of  the  United  States  Steamship  “ Wachusetts.”  I then  had 
the  pleasure  of  his  acquaintance,  and  as  he  is  a man  of  most 
genial  disposition  and  entertaining  manners,  I can  well  under- 
stand why  our  Government  honored  him  with  the  high  ap- 
pointment of  Commissioner  Plenipotentiary,  for  the  special 


34 


KOREA. 


purpose  of  negotiating  a treaty  with  Korea.  I had  held  cor- 
respondence with  Com.  Schufeldt,  at  Washington,  previous  to 
my  going  to  China  in  March  last,  in  relation  to  his  treaty,  but 
as  it  had  not  then  been  before  Congress  for  ratification,  he 
could  naturally  impart  but  little  of  that  information  which  I 
desired  to  seek.  I have  since  my  return  received  from  the 
State  Department  an  official  copy. 

This  treaty  with  Korea,  or  Chosun,  as  it  is  termed  in  the 
official  copy,  was  concluded  between  Com.  Schufeldt  and  the 
Korean  Commissioners,  at  the  little  port  of  Ren-shan,  or  Yin- 
chuen,  but  a few  miles  from  the  capital,  on  the  22d  day  of 
May,  1882,  ratified  by  President  Arthur,  Feb.  13,  1883,  and  by 
the  King  of  Tah  Chosun  and  Minister  Foote,  at  Seoul,  on  the 
19th  of  May,  1883. 

There  are  fourteen  different  articles  in  the  treaty.  The 
first  relates  to  perpetual  peace  and  amity  between  the  two 
countries.  The  second  refers  to  appointment  of  Consuls — and 
I am  pleased  to  see  that  no  merchants  are  to  be  permitted  to 
exercise  the  duties  of  this  office,  higher  respect  always  being 
accorded  by  Oriental  nations  to  full  official  and  diplomatic 
appointees.  The  third  clause  secures  perfedt  protection  to 
shipwrecked  mariners,  repairs  to  vessels,  & c.  Article  fourth 
secures  protection  to  Americans,  either  resident  or  traveling 
in  Korea  ; and,  until  such  time  as  the  United  States  considers 
that  Korea  is  fully  prepared  under  civilized  judicial  procedures 
to  administer  local  laws  in  full  or  fair  accord  with  our  own, 
the  same  rights  of  exterritoriality  which  by  treaty  are  de- 
manded of  China  and  Japan,  are  also  to  be  required  from 
Korea.  Article  fifth  regulates  duties  and  tonnage  dues  be- 
tween the  respedlive  countries.  Ten  per  cent,  is  the  rate  of 
duty  upon  articles  of  daily  use,  but  upon  luxuries,  such  as 
wines,  clocks  and  watches,  the  high  rate  of  thirty  per  cent,  is 
established.  It  is  gratifying  to  see  that  the  troublesome  Le- 
kim  Tax  of  China,  supposed  to  be  equal  to  half  import  duty 
in  lieu  of  all  inland  taxes,  does  not  enter  into  the  tariff  reg- 
ulations of  Korea.  Article  sixth  permits  the  renting  of 
premises,  and  building  of  warehouses  and  residences  in  both 
countries  ; and  in  the  United  States  Koreans  can  purchase 


TREATY  WITH  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


35 


land,?but  in  Chosun  as  in  China,  while  citizens  can  lease  land 
for  almost  indefinite  time,  the  King  reserves  to  himself  the 
right  of  eminent  domain.  At  present  all  traffic  with  Korea 
is  limited  to  the  three  treaty  ports.  Article  seventh  prohibits 
the  import  of  opium,  either  into  Chosun  or  the  United  States  ; 
and  under  clause  eighth , in  time  of  scarcity,  the  export  of 
breadstuff's  may  be  prohibited.  Ginseng  (Korean)  of  native 
growth  cannot  be  exported  from  Korea  by  Americans.  Article 
ninth  limits  the  dealings  in  arms  and  amunition  in  Chosun  to 
officials  of  the  government,  except  by  special  Imperial  per- 
mits. Article  tenth  authorizes  arrests  of  subjects  of  Chosun 
guilty  of  violation  of  the  laws,  who  may  be  harbored  by 
Americans,  either  on  shore  or  on  board  ship.  Under  the 
eleventh  clause  of  the  treaty,  students  of  either  nationality  are 
to  be  given  full  protection  and  assistance  in  the  prosecution  of 
their  studies,  as  an  evidence  of  cordial  good  will.  Clause 
twelfth  stipulates  for  a further  negotiation  or  revision  of  the 
treaty  after  a period  of  five  years  from  the  22d  of  May,  1882, 
when  the  two  nations  will  be  better  acquainted  with  each 
other.  I think  it  would  have  been  preferable  had  this  limit  of 
time  been  three  instead  of  five  years,  believing  as  I do,  that 
the  concession  of  twice  the  rates  of  duty  charged  by  the 
Chinese  tariff,  which  is  based  on  five  instead  of  ten  per  cent, 
ad  valorum,  is  a mistake,  and  will  work  to  the  disadvantage  of 
the  people  of  Korea.  Article  thirteenth  stipulates  that  all 
official  correspondence  on  the  part  of  Korea  shall  be  in  the 
Chinese  language,  while  the  United  States  shall  either  use 
Chinese,  or  English  accompanied  by  a Chinese  version,  to 
avoid  misunderstandings.  Article  fourteenth  provides  the 
usual  favored-nation  clause  conceded  by  all  Oriental  treaties, 
whereby  we  also  are  to  receive  the  benefits  conceded  by 
Korea  to  other  countries  by  subsequent  treaties.  This  clause 
also  requires  a ratification  of  the  treaty  at  Yin  Chuen  within 
one  year  from  the  date  of  its  execution. 

By  an  addenda,  the  United  States  Senate  requires  of  Korea 
that  American  ships  shall  have  the  privilege  of  going  from 
one  open  port  to  another  open  port,  to  receive  Korean  cargo 
for  exportation,  or  to  discharge  foreign  cargo.  Publicity  was 


36 


KOREA. 


given  to  this  convention  by  President  Arthur  on  the  4th  of 
June,  1883.  It  will  be  noticed  that  no  mention  whatsoever 
is  made  in  the  official  copy  of  the  treaty  of  the  alleged  claims 
of  China  of  suzerainty  over  Korea,  although  in  the  Chinese 
versions  of  this  same  treaty,  first  published  in  China,  the 
Chinese  claimed  that  Korea  had  made  this  concession  in  the 
preliminary  to  the  convention.  Still,  Commodore  Schufeldt 
in  Ins  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  accompanying  his  own 
copy  of  the  treaty,  mentions  that  he  had  promised  to  forward 
a letter  from  the  King  to  the  President,  stating  the  political 
relations  existing  between  Korea  and  China  * The  English 
think  that  Commodore  Schufeldt,  guided  by  Li-hung-chang, 
has  conceded  too  much  in  allowing  a basis  of  ten  per  cent,  on 
import  duties,  which  in  China  and  Japan  are  on  a five  per  cent, 
basis.  This  concession  to  Korea,  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States,  will,  I think,  be  quoted  and  used  by  China  at  some 
future  time,  when  fresh  treaty  negotiations  are  pending  be- 
tween China  and  our  own  government.  Li-hung-chang  has 
secured  for  his  protege,  the  China  Merchants  Steamship  Com- 
pany, valuable  advantages  in  connection  with  the  coast 
freighting  business  between  China  and  Korea  ; and  the  cus- 
toms service  is  to  be  arranged  on  the  same  basis  as  the 
Chinese,  under  the  charge  of  a foreign  official,  Herr  Von 
Mullendorff  with  headquarters  at  Seoul.  This  officer,  former- 
ly German  Consul  at  Tientsin,  and  lately  attached  to  the  staff 
of  Li-hung-chang,  was  recommended  by  Sir  Robert  Hart, 
Inspector  General  of  Chinese  customs,  and  accepted  by  the 
Tah-Chosun  government. 

English  merchants  in  China  are  greatly  disappointed  that 
our  Commissioner  did  not  insist  on  a general  opening  up  of 
the  interior  of  the  country  instead  of  restricting  our  mer- 
chants to  three  small  treaty  ports. 

It  is  a matter  of  surprise  that,  in  the  official  treaty,  not  one 
word  is  said  about  the  rights  of  missionaries  to  travel  and 
preach  the  Gospel  in  Korea  ; and  this  omission  is  by  the  east- 
ern residents  considered  as  a refusal,  on  the  part  of  Korea,  to 

* Official  copies  of  this  treaty  may  be  had  upon  addressing  the  Slate  Depart- 
ment at  Washington,  D.  C. 


TREATY  WITH  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


37 


grant  this  privilege.  The  Roman  Catholics,  however,  who 
are  already  in  the  country  in  large  numbers  with  their  con- 
verts, must  of  course  be  allowed  to  remain. 

The  Tsung-li-yamen,  the  Chinese  foreign  office  at  Peking, 
is  said  to  have  insisted  on  the  omission  of  the  missionary 
clause  from  our  treaty  ; and  its  representative,  Ma-chien- 
chung,  seems  to  have  seen  this  point  well  protected  ; in  fa6t, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  all  the  negotiations,  the 
hand  or  personality  of  the  great  Chinese  Viceroy  is  to  me  per- 
fectly apparent.  Li  it  was,  who  early  in  1882  addressed  a 
letter  to  the  King  urging  the  opening  up  of  the  country  ; 
and  all  through  the  treaty  itself,  the  dictation  of  this  astute 
Oriental  statesman  is  evident. 

France  will,  no  doubt,  when  her  turn  comes  to  negotiate  a 
treaty,  insist  upon  a strong  missionary  clause  as  sine  qua  non. 
England,  too,  will,  I have  good  reason  to  believe,  bring  for- 
ward this  special  request,  which  Commodore  Schufeldt  seems 
not  to  have  proposed,  or  at  least  not  to  have  enforced. 

Traffic  in  opium  by  Americans  is,  I am  pleased  to  see,  posi- 
tively prohibited,  and  this  concession  to  Korea  will,  I believe, 
receive  serious  attention,  and  may  be  objected  to  strenuously 
by  Great  Britain.  The  use  of  this  pernicious  drug  is  very 
limited  throughout  the  kingdom  of  Korea. 

Ma-chien-chung,  above  referred  to  as  the  representative 
of  the  Chinese  foreign  office,  with  four  Chinese  men  of  war, 
accompanied  Commodore  Schufeldt  from  Tsientin  to  Korea 
early  in  May,  1882,  to  assist  in  making  this  treaty.  He  is  the 
same  official  who  was  sent  by  the  Chinese  Viceroy,  Li-lning- 
chang,  to  India,  to  confer  with  the  Viceroy  of  India,  relative 
to  the  restriction  of  the  opium  traffic  with  China,  which  the 
Chinese  government  have  long  desired  to  have  imposed  ; but 
which  England  refuses,  on  the  score  of  its  being  her  chief 
source  of  Indian  revenue.  Ma’s  instructions  in  the  Korean 
negotiations  were  to  assist  Commodore  Schufeldt,  but  at  the 
same  time  to  look  closely  after  the  interests  of  China,  and 
this  he  seems  to  have  done  most  effectually. 

The  English,  through  Admiral  Willes,  following  the  United 
States,  made  a treaty  with  Korea  at  Ren-shan  on  the  6th  of 


38 


KOREA. 


June,  1882,  the  terms  of  which  were  based  on  the  American 
treaty  ; but  its  ratification  has  been  refused  on  the  part  of  the 
British  Government,  owing  to  the  great  objections  raised  by 
British  merchants  in  the  East,  to  the  terms  stipulated,  they 
being  considered  far  less  acceptable  than  those  in  the  Chinese 
treaty,  made  by  Lord  Elgin  twenty-four  years  ago. 

By  late  advices  received  from  Shanghae,  I learn  that  Sir 
Harry  Parkcs,  H.  B.  M.  Minister  to  Peking,  was  about  to  leave 
for  Korea  for  the  purpose  of  negotiating  a new  treaty,  or  to 
modify  that  made  originally  by  Admiral  Willes.* 

The  Russians,  Germans,  French  and  Italians  have  all  had 
their  naval  vessels  and  representatives  close  at  hand  ready, 
whenever  the  opportunity  should  present,  to  press  forward 
the  claims  of  their  respective  governments,  to  treaty  recogni- 
tion by  the  Korean  authorities. 

Attached  to  the  Korean  Embassy  lately  visiting  this  coun- 
try, with  whom  I have  made  a very  pleasant  acquaintance,  was 
an  intelligent  and  genial  young  American  naval  officer,  Ensign 
George  C.  Foulk,  who  acted  as  interpreter  from  English  into 
Japanese,  from  which  language  the  Korean  Secretary  trans- 
lated into  Korean,  thus  keeping  H.  E.  Min-yong-ik  fully 
informed  of  all  that  was  going  on.  Ensign  Foulk  has  been 
for  some  time  attached  to  United  States  naval  vessels  in 
Japan  and  China,  and  in  June,  1882,  only  one  month  after 
Commodore  Schufeldt  had  made  his  treaty,  Mr.  Foulk  visited 
Fusan  and  Gensan,  in  Korea,  on  his  way  from  Japan  to  Europe, 
via.  Siberia.  The  results  of  his  trip  along  the  eastern  coast 
of  Korea,  as  well  as  his  journey  through  Siberia,  have  been 
very  pleasantly  and  graphically  recounted  in  a small  volume 
issued  by  the  Navy  Department,  a copy  of  which  Mr.  Foulk 
has  given  me,  and  which  I shall  take  pleasure  in  placing  on 
our  Society’s  table.  From  this  interesting  volume  I have  only 
time  to  make  the  following  brief  extracts.  Speaking  of  the 
natives  of  Korea,  Mr.  Foulk  says  : 

“ Both  men  and  women  were  tall  and  well  formed,  and  in 
“ personal  appearance  and  manners,  more  likely  to  command 

* .Since  the  above  was  written  Korea  and  Great  Britain  have  concluded  their  treaty, 
prohibiting  opium. 


ENSIGN  FOULK’S  TRAVELS  IN  KOREA. 


39 


“ the  respect  of  foreigners  than  either  the  Japanese  or  Chinese 
“ in  their  original  conditions.  Their  faces  were  broad  and 
“features  large,  with  finely  shaped  heads.  The  stolid,  impas- 
“ sive  expression  of  the  Chinese,  or  the  sly,  crafty  appearance 
“ so  commonly  observed  in  Japan  and  China,  was  rarely  notice- 
“ able  among  the  Koreans.  We  thought  them  frank  and 
“honest  in  expression,  pleasing  though  timid.  Their  com- 
“ plexion  was  of  a redder  tint  than  that  of  the  Japanese  or 
“ Chinese.  The  hair  varied  in  color  from  black  to  light  red- 
■“  dish  brown.  White  clothes  made  of  cotton  were  almost 
“ invariably  worn,  wadded  in  winter  with  cotton.  The  lan- 
“ guage  spoken  at  Fusan  was  a dialect  of  Korean  peculiar  to 
“the  province  of  Kiung-sang,  in  which  Fusan  is  situated.  It 
“closely  resembles  Japanese  in  many  respects,  which  doubt- 
“ less  explains  the  fluency  with  which  Fusan  Koreans  speak 
“ the  latter  language.  As  in  Japan,  the  educated  people  use 
“ Chinese  largely  in  speaking  and  writing.  Education  up  to  a 
“ certain  standard  is  very  general,  almost  everybody  in  the 
“ land,  women  excepted,  being  able  to  write  in  the  Chinese 
“characters.  Young  boys  could  reply  easily  in  Chinese  to 
“ our  questions  given  them  in  that  language.  We  were  told 
“ that  in  every  town  or  village,  schools  abound  at  which  boys 
“are  taught  to  read  and  write  the  one  thousand  Chinese 
“ characters,  which  make  up  the  common  school  education. 
“ We  were  told  that  Korean  men  treat  women  with  much 
“ more  courtesy  and  consideration  than  is  common  in  other 
“parts  of  the  east.  On  our  way  to  Wen-shan  from  Fusan, 
“ and  about  ninety-five  miles  distant  from  Wen-shan,  we 
“ passed  two  high  mountain  peaks  about  five  thousand  and 
“eight  thousand  feet  high.  The  harbor  of  Wen-shan,  called 
“ by  the  Russians  Port  Lazareff,  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the 
‘‘world;  the  beautiful  mountain  headlands  dropping  steep 
“ down  and  close  up  to  the  water’s  edge,  but  with  here  and 
“ there  belts  of  low  level  land  with  trees  and  beautiful  grass 
“ plots,  among  which  are  situated  the  Korean  and  Japanese 
“ towns.” 

Wen-shan  was  opened  to  Japan  in  1880. 

I have  had  numerous  enquires  in  regard  to  the  import  and 


40 


KOREA. 


export  trade  of  this  country  for  the  past  five  or  six  years,  and 
also  as  to  the  prospects  for  the  future,  and  have  taken  some 
little  pains  to  procure  reliable  information,  as  far  as  it  can  be 
secured.  From  the  British  Legation  in  Tokio,  the  capital  of 
Japan,  I have  obtained  the  following  valuable  statistics: 

For  the  year  ending  June  30th,  1877,  the  entire  foreign  im- 
port trade  into  Korea  was  yen  348,000,  equal  to  gold  $250,000 
(the  yen  being  valued  at  about  seventy  cents  gold,  or  eighty 
cents  Mexican),  whilst  in  1 88 1 , the  imports  had  increased  in 
value  to  yen  3.800,000,  or  gold  $2,700,000,  showing  in  four 
years  an  increase  of  more  than  ten-fold. 

General  Foote  in  his  letter  to  me  dated  July  13th  last,  intro- 
ducing the  Embassy,  mentions  that  the  trade  of  Japan  alone 
with  Korea  in  1882  amounted  to  fully  $3,000,000,  or  nearly 
equal  to  that  of  the  previous  four  years  together.  The  ex- 
ports for  the  five  years  from  1877  to  1882  amounted  to  yen 
5, 100,000,  or  gold  $3,600,000;  while  the  balance  of  trade  in 
favor  of  Korea  was  equal  to  yen  501,000,  or  gold  $350,000. 
Of  foreign  shipping  (Chinese  and  Japanese)  in  1878,  1900  tons 
had  been  entered  and  cleared,  whilst  in  1880  27,000  tons,  an 
increase  of  fourteen-fold,  had  arrived  and  departed  from 
Koren  ports.  If  such  results  have  been  brought  about  with 
but  one  or  two  open  ports,  and  trading  only  with  China  and 
Japan,  what  may  we  not  expect  from  the  opening  up  of  addi- 
tional ports,  and  the  advent  of  a more  extended  trade  with 
enterprising  western  nations  having  the  great  facilities  of 
Gieap  and  rapid  steam  communication,  via.  the  Suez  canal,  and 
by  way  of  San  Francisco  and  Japan  ? 

After  six  years  of  commercial  intercourse  with  the 
Japanese  at  Fusan,  the  Koreans  now  take  as  Imports,  (chiefly 
from  Japanese  ports),  the  following  merchandise  : Cotton 

goods  (American  and  English),  American  petroleum,  flour, 
tin  plates,  iron,  glass,  dyes,  tools  and  machinery,  clocks, 
watches,  hardware,  iron  hollow  ware,  lacquer  work,  and  foreign 
nick-nacks.  Of  exports,  the  principal  articles  sent  to  Japan 
and  China  are:  Gold-dust  and  silver,  ginseng,  cotton,  hemp, 
(of  very  fine  quality  and  of  early  growth),  flax,  tobacco,  indigo, 
hides,  biche-de-mer,  fish,  rice,  raw  silk,  fans,  bamboo,  furs  of 


IMPORTS  AND  EXPORTS. 


41 


many  kinds,  paper,  and  various  plants  yielding  paper  stock, 
peony  bark,  gall-nuts,  varnishes  and  lacquers,  oil,  timber,  and 
innumerable  articles  for  domestic  use. 

At  Fusan  the  Japanese  government  has  a concession  of 
forty-two  acres  of  ground  on  which  are  some  imposing  build- 
ings. The  Japanese  Legation  comprises  a Minister,  secre- 
taries, interpreters,  military  officers,  policemen,  students,  and 
servants,  about  forty  persons  in  all. 

An  exposition  of  Japanese,  American  and  European  goods 
was  held  at  Fusan,  some  little  time  since,  attended  by  fully 
25,000  people,  and  proved  to  be  a great  success.  About  three- 
quarters  of  all  the  goods  sold  were  American  (cotton  drills, 
sheetings  and  jeans,  petroleum,  clocks,  watches,  hardware, 
&c.)  and  European  ; the  balance  being  Japanese  and  Chinese. 

Another  little  reminiscence  of  personal  experience  in  Korea, 
to  which  I believe  you  will  be  pleased  to  listen,  I will  here 
record,  as  I can  but  think  that  all  such  reliable  information  is 
of  special  value,  coming  from  a country  about  which  we  have 
heretofore  known  little  or  nothing.  In  June,  1865,  the  Ameri- 
can schooner  Surprise,  Captain  C.  H.  McCaslin,  formerly 
in  command  of  a small  steamer  belonging  to  my  firm  in 
Shanghae,  was  totally  wrecked  on  the  Korean  coast  near  a 
fishing  village,  about  thirty  miles  north  of  the  Han-yan  river. 
From  Captain  McCaslin,  I obtained  in  May  last  the  following 
information  in  regard  to  his  unfortunate  experience  in  being 
cast  away  on  that  dangerous  coast.  After  great  perils  the 
crew,  consisting  of  nine  persons,  reached  the  shore  in  safety 
and  at  once  started  northwest  for  the  frontier  walled  city  of 
Moukden,  distant  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles.  At 
this  city,  about  three  miles  inland  from  Black  river,  they 
stopped  ten  days,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  a tribute  caravan  en 
route  to  Peking.  After  camping  one  day  and  night  on  neutral 
ground  between  Korea  and  China,  they  started  for  Newchwang 
and  Chefoo.  Throughout  Korea  they  passed  through  a finely 
wooded  and  agricultural  country,  with  abundant  signs  of 
mineral  deposits,  such  as  coal,  iron,  copper,  &c.  The  natives, 
I am  sorry  to  sav,  treated  Captain  McCaslin  and  his  com- 
panions very  badly,  and  they  were  from  day  to  day  almost 


42 


KOREA. 


without  food,  except  when  plucking  the  ears  of  corn  and 
eating  the  native  cucumbers,  melons,  and  such  other  veget- 
ables as  they  could  lay  hands  upon.  They  fortunately 
chanced  to  meet  a French  Jesuit  priest  conversant  with  the 
language,  to  whose  kind  and  urgent  intercessions  with  the 
natives  and  officials  the  party  really  owed  its  safe  deliverance. 
For  this  good  Samaritan  act,  this  Jesuit  priest  was  presented 
by  President  Johnson  with  a handsome  testimonial,  a gold 
watch  and  chain.  The  Chinese,  too,  were  very  uncivil  and 
treated  them  shamefully.  After  spending  nearly  three  months 
in  Korea  and  Moukden,  they  reached  Newchwang  in  company 
with  the  tribute  Embassy,  to  which  they  rendered  valuable 
assistance  in  crossing  streams  and  dangerous  passes  with  their 
bullocks  and  other  animals,  thereby  gaining  their  confidence 
and  good  favor,  and  receiving  in  return  the  supplies  of  which 
they  stood  greatly  in  need.  From  Newchwang  and  Chefoo 
they  took  passage  for  Shanghae. 

As  one  good  effefl  of  this  opening  up  of  Korea  under  our 
treaty,  we  have  a right  to  believe  that  such  treatment  of  ship- 
wrecked crews  thrown  upon  that  coast  cannot  possibly  take 
place  in  the  future. 

And  now  a few  words  in  regard  to  one  of  the  greatest 
living  aFtors  of  to-day,  prominent  on  the  stage  of  Oriental 
diplomacy  in  the  Far  East,  a man  who  exercises  a very  pow- 
erful influence  for  good,  as  an  exponent  of  modern  progressive 
ideas,  which,  coming  from  a Chinamen,  we  appreciate  all  the 
more.  Not  only  in  Korea  has  this  influence  been  strongly 
felt,  bringing  about  the  grand  results  which  we  have  already 
herein  recorded,  but  in  China,  among  the  Mandarins  and  offi- 
cials generally,  a large  portion  of  whom  are  known  to  be  hos- 
tile to  foreign  intercourse,  this  Chinaman  is  gradually  bringing 
about  a revulsion  of  feeling  favorable  to  the  outer  world.  I 
refer  to  that  greatest  of  Chinese  statesmen,  Li-hung-chang, 
Grand  Secretary  ; in  reality,  Prime  Minister  of  China,  Senior 
Guardian  of  the  Emperor,  and  Viceroy  of  Chihli.  Exercising 
her  old  traditional  claims  of  suzerainty  over  Annam,  China  has 
sent  Li-hung-chang,  as  its  most  trusted  representative,  south 
from  Peking  to  Shanghae,  that  he  may  be  nearer  the  scene  of 


LI- HUNG -CHANG. 


43 


action,  and  more  readily  communicate  with  the  Annamese 
authorities,  and  there  meet  the  French  representatives  if  nec- 
essary, to  treat  for  terms  of  compromise,  or  other  settlement 
of  their  difficulties. 

The  French  in  Annam,  or  Cochin  China,  or  Cambodia, 
as  it  was  called  in  our  earlier  days,  are  giving'  the  Chinese 
government  a great  deal  of  anxiety,  for  between  Annam, 
which  the  French  have  largely  controlled  for  the  past  thirty 
years,  with  their  headquarters  at  Saigon,  and  China’s  south- 
ernmost provinces  of  Kwang-si  and  Yunnan  lies  Tong-king, 
bordering  on  the  East  upon  the  Gulf  of  Tong-king.  The 
French  insist  upon  exercising  at  least  a joint  control  with 
China  over  certain  portions  of  both  Annam  and  Tong- 
king,  in  return  for  which  concession  on  the  part  of 
China,  France  is  willing  to  acknowledge  China’s  claims  of 
suzerainty  over  Annam,  and  to  agree  on  certain  conditions 
to  establish  a neutral  belt  of  territory,  with  the  Red  river 
as  the  dividing  line,  as  a sort  of  guarantee  of  China’s  inde- 
pendence and  safety  at  the  South.  The  Chinese,  however, 
positively  refuse  to  treat  with  France  on  any  such  basis.  The 
French  are  never  satisfied,  and  keep  pushing  on  farther  and 
farther,  very  much  to  the  annoyance  of  the  Chinese,  as 
neither  the  English  or  Americans  attempt  to  enforce  any 
such  schemes.  Naturally,  China  feels  much  stronger  and 
more  independent  than  she  did  fifteen  or  twenty  years  ago. 
She  is  to-day  inclined  to  resist  these  inroads  on  the  part  of 
the  French  on  her  borders,  and  war  between  the  two  nations 
seems  inevitable. 

On  the  thirtieth  of  May  last,  the  very  day  1 left  China  for 
Japan  and  America,  Li-hung-chang  arrived  in  Shanghae,  this 
being  his  first  visit  there  for  twenty-one  years.  The  streets 
were  crowded  with  both  natives  and  foreigners.  Amidst  the 
booming  of  cannon  from  the  Chinese  gun-boats  in  the  Whang- 
poa  river,  and  the  burning  of  much  powder  on  shore,  Li 
landed  in  the  foreign  settlement,  escorted  by  a very  fair  array 
of  Chinese  troops.  Mandarins,  and  attendants  on  horse-back 
and  in  sedan  chairs,  preceded  by  a native  band  drilled  by 
French  officers.  His  own  sedan  chair  and  eight  bearers  were 


44 


KOREA. 


dressed  in  deep  mourning,  out  of  reverence  for  his  deceased 
mother,  for  whom  Chinese  official  etiquette  requires,  as  a rule, 
full  three  years  mourning,  generally  attended  by  strict  seclu- 
sion. In  this  special  case,  by  an  edift  of  the  Emperor,  only 
one  hundred  days  were  allowed  to  Li,  his  services  at  this  crit- 
ical state  of  affairs  with  the  French  being  considered  indis- 
pensable. 

Li  at  once  proceeded  to  his  temporary  residence  in  the  for- 
eign settlement  of  Shanghae  opposite  the  English  Cathedral, 
these  quarters  very  singularly  having  been  about  fifteen  years 
ago  the  offices  and  residence,  or  hong,  of  my  firm,  now  trans- 
formed into  the  extensive  premises  of  the  China  Merchants 
Steamship  Company,  a joint  protege  so  to  speak  of  Li-hung- 
charig  and  his  enterprising  and  valued  friend,  Tong-king- 
sing.  This  company  now  runs  a line  of  steamers  from  Shang- 
hae to  Korean  ports  via  Chefoo. 

Tong-king-sing  was  for  many  years  in  the  employ  of  the 
well-known  English  firm  of  Jardine,  Matheson  & Co.,  in 
Shanghae,  as  compradore  or  head  Chinese  employe.  He  has 
a very  good  English  education  and  is  the  chief  manager  of 
the  China  Merchants  Steamship  Company,  owning  about  thirty- 
five  foreign  built  steamers,  about  half  of  which  were  original- 
ly American,  sent  out  from  the  United  States,  and  now  run- 
ning on  the  Yangstze  and  Peibo  rivers  and  coast  of  China, 
both  north  and  south,  with  headquarters  at  Shanghae,  and 
absorbing  the  larger  proportion  of  the  native  carrying  trade. 
During  the  American  war  I had  many  business  transactions 
with  Tong-king-sing,  and  retain  very  favorable  recollections 
of  my  acquaintance  and  experience  with  him.  He  has  lately 
been  to  England  and  South  America  on  business  pertaining 
to  his  company.  Possibly  he  may  soon  visit  New  York.  He 
is  accompanied  by  his  Secretary,  also  acting  as  sub-manager 
of  the  steamship  company,  Mr.  George  H.  Butler,  an  Ameri- 
can colored  gentleman,  formerly  with  Mr.  Burlingame,  our 
United  States  Minister  to  Peking,  and  Special  Commissioner 
for  the  Chinese  Embassy  sent  to  this  country  and  Europe 
many  years  since.  Mr.  Butler’s  services  have  been  of  great 
value  to  the  steamship  company,  by  which  he  is  still  held  in 
very  high  esteem. 


VISITS  IN  JAPAN  AND  CHINA. 


45 


I had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Li-hung-chang  on  two  different 
occasions  upon  that  30th  day  of  May.  He  is  a man  of  large 
stature  and  commanding  presence,  decidedly  above  the  ordi- 
nary height  of  Chinamen,  standing  fully  six  feet  three  inches, 
with  a heavy  black  mustache,  and  serious  cast  of  countenance. 
Following  him  came  his  favorite  adopted  son  (a  son  of  his 
brother),  a young  man  of  twenty-six  or  twenty-seven  years 
of  age,  having  an  excellent  English  education,  whom  Judge 
Denny  says  gives  great  promise  of  becoming  a second  Li, 
and  a most  valuable  official  of  the  Chinese  Empire.  Con- 
sidering that  Li  is  now  about  sixty  years  of  age,  we  will 
within  the  near  future  probably  see  this  son  coming  to  the 
front,  to  take  up  the  responsible  duties  so  ably  and  honorably 
conducted  by  his  father.  Our  present  Consul-General  in 
Shanghae,  formerly  Consul  in  Tientsin,  Judge  O.  D.  Denny,  is 
a warm  personal  friend  of  Li-hung-chang,  and  I know  that 
on  more  than  one  occasion,  where  matters  of  state  have  given 
Li  great  anxiety  and  perplexity,  he  has  sought  special  relief 
in  the  kindly  and  disinterested  counsels  of  his  friend  Judge 
Denny. 

Had  I time  I would  be  glad  to  refer  to  my  visits  in  Japan  ; 
to  Yokohama,  Tokio,  Hiogo,  Kioto,  Osaca  and  Nagasaki. 
At  Osaca  we  find  the  Imperial  Japanese  mint,  purchased  on 
very  favorable  terms  from  the  British  Government  in  Hong- 
Kong.  It  is  now  in  full  operation,  issuing  Japanese  gold  and 
silver  coins  of  very  pretty  native  design,  specimens  of  which, 
and  of  the  paper  or  yen  currency,  I took  with  me.  Here  in 
Osaca  I went  through  the  famous  old  stone  fortress  of  the 
Daimaios,  built  in  the  thirteenth  century  of  massive  granite 
blocks,  many  being  of  most  extraordinary  size.  The  old  well, 
which  six  hundred  years  ago  supplied  the  beleagured  garrison 
with  pure  cool  water,  was  in  a most  excellent  state  of  preser- 
vation. From  a bucket  lowered  to  a depth  said  to  be  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet,  I sipped  a most  refreshing  draught.  ? 

At  Kioto  I spent  an  interesting  day  in  the  old  Shintoo  and 
Buddhist  temples  and  in  riding  through  this  extensive  and 
fine  old  city,  fully  five  miles  in  diameter.  I was  particularly 
pleased  at  what  1 saw  in  the  Kioto  native  Exposition,  com- 


46 


KOREA. 


prising  a series  of  buildings  of  various  shapes  and  pretty 
designs,  and  containing  a most  beautiful  collection  of  the 
various  manufactures  and  products  peculiar  to  Japan.  This 
grand  fair  was  held  in  the  extensive  palace  grounds  of  the 
Mikado,  formerly  the  residence  and  seat  of  government  of  the 
Tycoons,  in  the  old  feudal  days  of  the  Daimaio  s and  Ronins. 

My  visit  to  Kioto,  60  miles  from  Hiogo,  was  in  company 
with  two  agreeable  companions,  Mr.  John  Fryer,  of  Shang- 
hae,  and  Miss  Mary  E.  Lee,  daughter  of  the  late  Gen.  Robt. 
E.  Lee,  a young  lady  making  a tour  around  the  world,  quite 
alone. 

Of  Peking,  Tientsin,  Shanghae,  Hongkong  and  Canton,  I 
shall  not  be  able  to  make  any  special  mention,  and  I can  but 
allude  briefly  to  my  day’s  visit  to  Tokio,  the  capital  of  Japan, 
with  its  one,  or  one  and  a-quarter  million  of  inhabitants  ; it 
being  really  indirectly  associated  with  my  subject,  Tokio 
being  the  residence  of  the  Mikado,  (or  Emperor,  as  he  is  also 
called),  Empress,  and  Royal  family.  The  foreign  legations 
are  also  all  located  here. 

I had  intended  to  be  present  at  the  grand  reception  given 
by  the  Emperor  and  Empress  to  General  and  Mrs.  Foote,  on 
the  25th  day  of  April  last,  a magnificent  entertainment,  such 
as  the  Mikado  had  not  before  given  to  any  foreign  official,  ex- 
cepting Gen.  Grant.  Unfortunately,  the  time  of  my  depart- 
ure for  Shanghae  came  upon  the  same  day,  leaving  me  too 
short  a time  to  risk  the  trip  from  Yokohama  to  Tokio  and 
back.  It  certainly  was  a cause  of  great  regret  to  me.  The 
Mikado  I had  before  seen  in  Nagasaki,  when  making  his  first 
appearance  before  the  public  in  July,  1872. 

Jealousy  of  China,  and  a natural  desire  to  secure  the  very 
earliest  good  favor  of  both  our  Minister  (the  first  to  make  a 
treaty  with  Korea),  and  of  the  King  of  Korea  himself,  in  ad- 
vance of  China,  were,  no  doubt,  the  motives  which  lead  the 
Mikado  to  bestow  such  special  honors  upon  Gen.  Foote.  On 
a previous  occasion,  both  General  and  Mrs.  Foote  were 
entertained  at  a lunch  party,  where,  as  I was  informed  by 
Mrs.  Foote,  not  only  was  the  Empress  present,  but  a number 
of  ladies  of  high  Imperial  rank — a privilege  greatly  in  contrast 
with  the  customs  prevailing  for  centuries  down  to  1868. 


CALL  UPON  SIR  HARRY  PARKER  IN  TOKIO. 


47 


One  day,  however,  I did  devote  in  Tokio  to  calls,  first  upon 
the  United  States  Minister,  Mr.  Bingham,  who  unfortunately 
was  absent  at  Yokohama.  The  new  buildings,  both  residences 
and  offices  of  the  United  States  Legation,  are  very  neat  , and 
really  quite  imposing,  considering  that  the  American  and  not 
the  British  Ensign  floats  at  the  mast  head  in  the  legation  com- 
pound. The  trip  from  Yokohama,  twenty-two  miles  by  rail, 
in  very  comfortable  English  carriages,  occupied  about  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour.  Arriving  at  the  railway  station  in  Tokio, 
I found  the  distance  .to  the  American  and  British  legations 
across  the  city  very  great,  but  by  native  Jin-rick-shas,  or  small 
two-wheeled  carriages,  or  Pullman  cars,  as  they  are  facetiously 
called,  with  two  native  bettos,  or  runners,  harnessed  tandem, 
the  four  or  five  miles  were  very  soon  made. 

I had  a most  delightful  call  upon  an  old  acquaintance,  Sir 
Harry  Parkes,  the  British  Minister  Plenipotentiary  in  Japan, 
who  in  i860  I knew  as  British  Consul  in  Shanghae,  and  after- 
wards as  Private  Secretary  to  Lord  Elgin’s  Embassy  during 
the  Peiho  war,  in  i860  and  1861. 

The  grounds  and  buildings  of  the  British  Legation  are  both 
extensive  and  imposing  ; in  full  keeping  with  England’s  uni- 
versal tradition  and  liberal  expenditures  in  maintaining  her 
position  and  dignity  among  the  Oriental  nations.  Here  I met 
both  Sir  Harry  Parkes  and  his  accomplished  daughter,  who 
does  the  honors  of  Sir  Harry’s  household,  and  with  whom  I 
took  the  usual  complimentary  and  friendly  cup  of  afternoon  tea. 
Lady  Parkes  died  about  two  years  since.  Sir  Harry  expressed 
himself  freely  upon  matters  pertaining  to  Japan  and  Korea, 
and  his  long  residence  in  the  former  country,  recounting  his 
visit  to  Peking  with  Lord  Elgin,  when  he  was  captured  by 
Chinese  soldiers,  thrown  into  a loathsome  prison  in  Peking, 
crowded  with  the  very  worst  kinds  of  criminals,  and  subse- 
quently rescued  by  a friendly  Mandarin,  who  formerly  knew 
Sir  Harry,  he  being  able  to  speak  the  Mandarin  dialect  fluent- 
ly. At  night  he  was  lowered  over  the  high  city  walls  by  a 
rope,  escaping  into  the  British  camp  before  the  city  gate. 

Now,  by  special  appointment  of  Queen  Victoria,  Sir  Harry 
Parkes  is  to  be  sent  to  Peking  as  England’s  Minister  Plenipo- 


48 


KOREA. 


tentiary.  This,  I said  to  him,  could  but  be  a most,  gratify- 
ing vindication  and  partial  recompense  for  the  sufferings  he  had 
undergone  at  the  hands  of  the  Chinese  Mandarins,  in  i860, 
nearly  dying  from  their  barbarous  treatment  ; but  now  he 
returns  to  these  former  scenes  as  England's  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary, and  by  the  successors  to  those  Mandarins,  is  received 
and  saluted  with  high  honors.  In  his  quiet  and  unassuming 
way,  Sir  Harry  gave  his  approval  to  my  remarks,  adding  that 
twenty-three  years  having  elapsed  since  those  scenes,  and  the 
former  actors  in  the  drama  having  passed  off  the  stage,  the 
remembrance  of  the  details  had  grown  dim  and  the  hostile 
feelings  toward  him  had  no  doubt  passed  away. 

Well  do  I remember  in  Shanghae,  in  1861,  the  circum- 
stances connected  with  this  horrible  affair;  the  capture  at  the 
same  time  with  Sir  Harry  Parkes  of  poor  Bowlby  and  Ander- 
son, the  former  the  China  correspondent  of  the  London  Times 
with  the  English  army  before  Peking,  who  was  dragged  by 
the  feet,  at  the  end  of  a native  cart  through  the  streets  of 
Peking,  dying  under  this  horrible  treatment.  Anderson  was 
imprisoned  and  died.  Both  were  buried  in  the  British  Con- 
sular Compound  in  Shanghae.  Sir  Harry  Parkes  had  no  right 
to  expect  other  than  a similar  fate,  which  would  undoubtedly 
have  been  meted  out  to  him,  but  for  the  friendly  interference 
of  the  Mandarin,  before  mentioned.  Not  only  England, 
America,  and  Korea,  but  the  world  generally  is  exceedingly 
fortunate  in  having  this  experienced,  genial,  though  firm,  and 
successful  English  diplomatist  in  Oriental  affairsin  this  impor- 
tant position  in  China,  at  a time  when  the  influences,  (other 
than  those  emanating  from  Li-hung-chang,)  of  the  Mandarins, 
and  officials  are  generally  believed  to  be  inimical  to  foreigners. 
I conversed  with  Sir  Harry  Parkes  fully  a half-hour,  concerning 
Korea,  finding  as  I had  expected,  that  he  takes  a very  warm 
interest  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  this  newly 
opened  country.  He  does  not  look  with  favor  upon  certain 
portions  of  our  new  American  treaty,  notably,  the  increase  in 
the  tariff  rates  conceded  to  Korea,  which  concessions  are  by 
Englishmen  considered  to  be  opposed  to  England’s  free  trade 
interests.  The  absence  of  a clause  permitting  Protestant 


THE  KOREAN  EMBASSY  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES.  49 


missionaries  free  intercourse  and  guaranteeing  their  protection, 
is  also  disapproved  by  the  British  Minister.  The  Japanese 
whilst  missing  their  old  friend  and  minister,  as  they  surely 
will,  may,  in  the  event  of  any  dispute  with  China  arising,  con- 
gratulate themselves  in  having  a true  and  impartial  mediator 
at  the  court  of  Peking  in  this  experienced  diplomatist.  In 
fact  the  entire  community,  both  foreign  and  native  in  Japan, 
are  in  thorough  accord  in  their  appreciation  of  Sir  Harry 
Parkes. 

I feel  that  I cannot  make  a more  fitting  close  of  this  lengthy 
discourse  than  by  devoting  a short  space  of  time  to  our  recent 
guests,  the  Korean  Embassy.  Early  in  July  last  we  learned 
for  the  first  time  that  the  King  of  Tah-Chosun  had  decided, 
on  the  strong  recommendation  of  Minister  Foote,  to  send  one 
of  his  high  officers,  Prince  Min-yong-ik,  a nephew  of  the  King 
and  brother-in-law  of  the  Heir  Apparent,  as  Envoy  Extra- 
ordinary and  Minister  Plenipotentiary,  together  with  Mr. 
Hong-yeng-shik,  son  of  the  Prime  Minister,  as  Vice-Minister, 
accompanied  by  a suite  of  seven  other  native  officials  and  in- 
terpreters, as  a special  Embassy  to  Washington.  Its  purpose 
was  to  personally  present  to  President  Arthur  the  congratula- 
tions and  good  wishes  of  the  King  of  Tah-Chosun  upon  the  in- 
terchange of  treaty  ratifications  between  the  King  and  United 
States  Minister  Foote  at  Seoul,  on  the  19th  of  May,  1883.  I 
had  already  received  a warm  letter  of  introduction  from  Gen- 
eral Foote,  asking  a cordial  welcome  for  the  Embassy,  under 
date  of  Seoul,  the  13th  of  July.  The  Embassy  arrived  at  Wash- 
ington on  the  14th  of  September,  leaving  at  once  for  New 
York,  owing  to  the  absence  of  the  President  and  his  Cabinet 
officers.  On  the  1 8th  of  September,  their  Excellencies  Min  and 
Hong  were  received  by  the  President,  Secretary  of  State  Fre- 
linghuysen,  and  Messrs.  Davis  and  Chew,  also  of  the  State 
Department,  in  the  parlors  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  where 
the  credentials  of  the  Ambassadors  and  the  address  on  the 
part  of  the  King  were  presented  in  person  to  the  President.  A 
suitable  and  most  cordial  welcome  in  response  was  accorded 
thereto,  all  present  seeming  to  be  well  pleased  with  this  final 


5© 


KOREA. 


interchange  of  official  courtesies.  The  Embassy  at  once  visited 
Boston,  upon  the  invitation  of  the  managers  of  the  World’s 
Exposition,  then  being  held  in  that  city,  spending  several 
days  in  sight-seeing  and  receiving  attentions  from  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State  and  city  authorities,  returning  to  New 
York  on  the  23d  of  September.  In  connexion  with  Commo- 
dore Upshur,  of  the  Brooklyn  Navv  Yard,  and  acting  under 
the  recommendations  of  General  Foote's  letter,  from  that 
time  to  the  date  of  their  departure,  on  the  1st  of  December, 

I took  much  interest  in  their  welfare,  and  was  able  I trust  to 
be  of  some  little  service  to  his  Excellency  while  here. 

On  the  26th  of  September  a committee  of  down-town  New 
York  merchants  escorted  the  Embassy  to  various  places  of 
public  and  private  interest,  ending  with  an  entertainment  in 
the  evening.  On  other  days  they  made  visits  in  and  out  of 
the  city  under  the  auspices  of  Commodore  Upshur.  On  the 
14th  of  November  His  Excellency,  secretary,  attache,  and 
Ensign  Foulk  accepted  my  invitation,  on  behalf  of  President 
Hebard  and  Mr.  John  D.  Cutter,  to  visit  the  United  States 
Ele6lric  Light  Co.  and  Cutter’s  silk  factory,  in  Newark,  finish- 
ing the  day  with  a brief  visit  to  Orange,  making  a social  call 
in  our  New  England  rooms  in  Music  Hall,  and  in  the  evening 
attending  a reception  held  at  my  house  in  honor  of  the 
Prince,  thus  giving  him  and  his  suite  an  opportunity  of  ex- 
periencing a little  of  our  own  social  life. 

H.  E.  Prince  Min  is  a son  of  Min-ho,  the  King’s  Minister  . 
of  the  Left.  He  holds  the  office  of  President  of  the  Agricul- 
tural Department  of  the  government  and  it  is  his  intention  on 
his  return  to  establish  a large  public  park  in  Seoul. 

An  exposition  or  museum  is  about  to  be  opened  at  the 
Capital,  and  from  a notification  issued  through  the  State  De- 
partment by  Commissioner  of  Customs  Von  Mullendorff,  our 
merchants  are  invited  to  send  exhibits  to  the  exposition, 
which  will  be  taken  charge  of  at  Shanghae,  forwarded  to  their 
destination  at  the  expense  of  the  Chosunese  government,  and 
there  placed  in  position.  It  is  hoped,  as  soon  as  this  informa- 
tion becomes  generally  known,  that  full  advantage  will  be 


DEPARTURE  OF  II.  E.  MIN-YONG-IK. 


51 


taken  of  the  opportunity  by  our  enterprising  merchants,  who 
possess  many  varieties  of  manufactures  of  cottons  and  woollens, 
agricultural  implements,  hardware,  watches,  clocks,  petroleum 
and  such  goods  as  the  Koreans  will  certainly  require  from  this 
country.  H.  E.  has  purchased  many  different  implements  with 
the  latest  improvements,  for  farming  purposes,  and  these  are 
now  being  shipped  out  to  China  and  Korea  in  readiness  for 
the  opening  of  the  agricultural  grounds  of  the  government  in 
April  next. 

The  Minister  and  his  suite  left  New  York  on  the  first  of 
December  in  the  United  States  steamer  "Trenton,”  for  Gibral- 
ter  and  Marseilles,  from  whence  a short  trip  will  be  taken  to 
Paris  and  London.  From  Marseilles,  via  the  Suez  Canal,  the 
Indian  ocean,  the  Straits  of  Malacca,  and  the  China  sea,  the 
“Trenton”  will  deliver  her  guests,  probably  early  in  April 
next,  at  the  seaport  of  Ren-shan,  near  Seoul.  The  minister 
on  the  day  of  his  departure  expressed  himself  as  highly 
pleased  with  his  experience  of  two  months  and  a-half  in  this 
country. 

One  by  one  the  Oriental  countries  have  opened  their  doors 
to  the  western  world,  and  now  another,  the  Hermit  Nation, 
with  its  thirteen  millions  of  people,  obeying  the  summons  of 
the  age,  issues  from  its  seclusion  to  live  a neighborly  life  with 
the  nations  roundabout,  in  the  hopes  of  giving  and  receiving 
the  benefits  of  social  and  mercantile  intercourse.  Henceforth 
Korea  proposes  to  be  known  among  men.  The  ship  that  sails 
around  the  world  will  not  pass  her  by  as  heretofore,  but  enter 
her  harbors  and  discharge  the  products  of  other  lands.  The 
eleftric  spark  which  has  flashed  for  others  will  soon  work  for 
her  as  well,  and  chronicle  the  passing  phases  of  life  in  New 
York,  London,  Paris  and  the  world  at  large.  Her  students 
will  stay  with  us  long  enough  to  learn  our  thoughts  and  ideas, 
only  to  disseminate  them  over  their  own  land  when  they 
return  home.  Our  merchants  will  meet  her  merchants,  and 
commerce  follow  to  the  benefit  of  both.  Let  us  then  hope 
that  the  return  of  the  Embassy  to  its  own  Tali  Chosun,  carry- 


52 


KOREA. 


ing  into  its  official  and  home  life  the  ideas  and  suggestions 
gained  among  us,  will  hasten  this  desired  end,  and  that  Korea, 
the  last  of  the  Oriental  countries  seeking  admission  into  the 
family  of  nations,  urged  forward  under  the  stimulus  and  guid- 
ance of  our  western  religion  and  civilization,  will  receive  and 
retain  for  all  time  the  same  benefits  which  have  been  gained 
and  made  profitable  use  of  by  the  Occidental  World. 


DATE  DUE 


OCT  1 2 ' 

70 

DEC  1 8 * 

3 

JULl  " 

'5 

GAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  J.S.A. 

